Photos: In Rehearsal for THE MOTIVE AND THE CUE, Directed by Sam Mendes

Rehearsal images for The Motive and the Cue have been released. The show is directed by Sam Mendes and features a cast that includes Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, Tuppence Middleton and Janie Dee.

This startling new play opening in the Lyttelton Theatre on 20 April, is inspired by the making of Burton and Gielgud's Hamlet. Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud's exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

The cast also includes Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams and Michael Walters.

The Motive and the Cue was originally commissioned by Neal Street Productions and has been developed and co-produced by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions. Set design is by Es Devlin, costume designer is Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer is Jon Clark, composer is Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound designer is Paul Arditti, video designer is Luke Halls, casting by Alastair Coomer CDG and Naomi Downham and associate director is Zoé Ford Burnett.

Inspired by Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne.

Photo Credit: Marc Douet

The Motive and the Cue runs at the National Theatre from 20 April to 15 July

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