David Tennant to Reprise 'HAMLET' for BBC, Patrick Stewart to Return as 'Claudius'

Actor David Tennant has signed on to reprise the title role he played on stage in "Hamlet" in a BBC television production of the drama.

Best known for his portrayal of TV's "Doctor Who," Tennant was credited for drawing large audiences to the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2008-09 staging of "Hamlet."

He will be joined by all of the key members of its original cast, including Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart, who plays Claudius.

The Cast will include David Ajala (Reynaldo), Sam Alexander (Rosencrantz and Second Gravedigger), Edward Bennett (Laertes), Ricky Champ (Lucianus) Ewen Cummins (Barnardo), Robert Curtis (Fortinbras and Francisco), Tom Davey (Guildenstern), Peter De Jersey (Horatio), Penny Downie (Gertrude), Samuel Dutton (Dumbshow King and Court Attendant), Oliver Ford Davies (Polonius), Ryan Gage (Osric), Mariah Gale (Ophelia), Mark Hadfield (Gravedigger), Andrea Harris (Cornelia), Jim Hooper (Priest), Keith Osborn (Marcellus), Roderick Smith (Voltemand), RiAnn Steele (Lady in Waiting), Zoe Thorne (Lady in Waiting), and John Woodvine (Player King).

Last week Tennant finished filming his farewell Doctor Who episodes, which will be shown later this year.

Earlier this year, Tennant's return to the stage as Hamlet was named the event of the year in the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards, which also saw Kenneth Branagh win best actor for Ivanov. While the 38-year-old's performance was lauded by critics, he hurt his back and was unable to perform for a while as he recovered from surgery.

BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow told The Daily Telegraph the three-hour-long, small-screen production of "Hamlet," with Tennant in the starring role, is "a wonderful opportunity ... to bring one of the great stage successes of last year to a wider audience."

David Tennant last appeared with the RSC as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors in 2000. As well as acting extensively on the stage, most recently in The Pillowman at the National Theatre, David has become a household name as the tenth actor to portray Dr Who. To read the full article click here.

His other TV and film role include Casanova, Blackpool, Bright Young Things and Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.This season he also appears as Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost.

Patrick Stewart returned to the RSC to play Claudius. He last appeared with the Company to great acclaim during the Complete Works Festival as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra and Prospero in The Tempest.

Hamlet played in repertoire at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 24 July - 15 November 2008.  Hamlet played at the Novello Theatre in London from 3 December 2008 - 10 January 2009 after transferring from Stratford-upon-Avon.    

 

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