Benedict Cumberbatch-Led HAMLET Eyeing West End, Stateside Runs?

Lyndsey Turner's production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, will begin performances at the Barbican Theatre next month. But with hundreds of fans traveling from across the globe to see the SHERLOCK actor take on the Bard for a measly 12-week run, the only thing theatergoers want to know is -- will the show transfer, to where, and when?

According to the Daily Mail, Cumberbatch has a full schedule following Hamlet. Filming for Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE begins right after the play closes, followed by shooting for BBC's SHERLOCK next spring.

That makes a Cumberbatch-led Hamlet, either in the West End or on Broadway, as far off as next summer.

If the actor does take the show to the Great White Way in 2016, it will be his New York stage debut. Fingers crossed!

HAMLET starts performances on 5 August with an opening night set for 25 August 2015. The play is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions and presented by the Barbican for an exclusive run through 31 October 2015.

Joining Cumberbatch are Barry Aird (Soldier), Eddie Arnold (Danish Captain, Servant), Leo Bill (Horatio), Siân Brooke (Ophelia), Nigel Carrington (Servant, Cornelius), Ruairi Conaghan (Player King), Rudi Dharmalingam (Guildenstern), Colin Haigh (Priest, Messenger), Paul Ham (Official), Diveen Henry (Player Queen, Messenger), Anastasia Hille(Gertrude), Ciarán Hinds (Claudius), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Laertes), Karl Johnson (Ghost of Hamlet's father), Jim Norton (Polonius), Amaka Okafor (Official), Dan Parr (Barnardo), Jan Shepherd (Courtier), Morag Siller (Voltemand), Matthew Steer (Rosencrantz), Sergo Vares (Fortinbras) and Dwane Walcott (Marcellus).

Set designs are by Es Devlin with costume designs by Katrina Lindsay, video by Luke Halls, lighting by Jane Cox, music by Jon Hopkins, sound by Christopher Shutt, movement by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and fights by Bret Yount.

As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father's death but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.

Photo Credit: Johan Persson