Sometimes when you hear about a production trying something new, it appears like a risky move. That could certainly have been the case with a show that takes the most famous tragedy in the English language and sets it alongside music from a Radiohead album. On paper, Hamlet Hail to the Thief sounds like the sort of concept that should appeal exclusively to Shakespeare devotees or die-hard Radiohead fans. In reality, it achieves something far more interesting. It invites newcomers into both worlds and leaves them wondering why nobody thought of this sooner.
The production has opened at the Barbican after acclaimed runs in Manchester and Stratford-upon-Avon and manages to be neither a Shakespeare play with incidental music nor a Radiohead jukebox musical, but instead a bold piece of theatre that stands confidently on its own.
The success of Hamlet Hail to the Thief lies in the clarity of its haunting vision. Co-Creator & Orchestrator Thom Yorke, alongside Co-Creators & Co-Directors Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett, doesn’t attempt to force connections between Shakespeare’s text and Radiohead’s music. Instead, the two works operate in tandem, each illuminating the other in unexpected ways. The political unease, paranoia and moral uncertainty that pulse through both works feel strikingly contemporary.
This adaptation strips Hamlet back to its essentials. What remains is lean, urgent and emotionally direct. Running at just over 100 minutes, the familiar story of grief, corruption and revenge unfolds with remarkable momentum, proving that Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy does not always require the full four hours to pack an emotional punch.
Leading the cast in the title role is Samuel Blenkin, reprising his acclaimed performance as Hamlet. Blenkin’s prince is not defined by intellectual posturing but by raw emotional exposure. His opening scene is loud and anarchic, setting the tone for what’s to come. Grief sits visibly on his shoulders, while moments of wit and tenderness prevent the character from sinking into self-pity. It is a performance that keeps us gripped by Hamlet’s human side.
Around him, the company excels. Ami Tredrea’s Ophelia emerges as a fully realised figure in her own right rather than merely a tragic victim, while Paul Hilton brings a chilling authority to Claudius. Claudia Harrison’s Gertrude carries an emotional complexity that enriches every scene in which she appears.
The live band, under the musical supervision and direction of Tom Brady, is integral to the storytelling, sitting in glass-fronted boxes built into the set. Yorke’s reimagining of Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief never really feels like a straightforward performance. Instead, fragments of melody, rhythm and vocal lines surface and disappear like intrusive thoughts, creating an atmosphere that feels simultaneously intimate and epic. Where we do hear longer pieces of music they are usually accompanied by scenes of thrilling action or compelling drama, often with dynamic choreography from Jess Williams.
Visually, the production is just atmospheric. The scenography by AMP featuring Sadra Tehrani features an industrial set, is amplified by harsh but atmospheric lighting design from Jessica Hung Han Yun. Along with movement-driven storytelling and an immersive soundscape, the result is a world that feels unstable and haunted.
Most impressive of all is how accessible the piece proves to be. No detailed knowledge of Shakespeare is required. Nor must you be able to name every Radiohead song. Hamlet Hail to the Thief succeeds because it trusts theatrical storytelling above all else. This is an exhilarating piece of theatre and proof that a risk can often pay off, especially when the source material, no matter how disparate, is placed in the right hands.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
