In 1596, William Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, passed away at the age of eleven. Five years later, following the death of his father, Shakespeare penned the tragic tale of ‘The Tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet’ during his period of mourning. In an era where spelling was inconsistent, ‘Hamnet’ and ‘Hamlet’ were nearly interchangeable. Numerous scholars have written extensively on the relationship between Hamnet and Hamlet.
This play tells the story of the Danish King Hamlet, who shares his name with his son and is poisoned by his brother Claudius and lover Gertrude. Their passion intertwines with another tragic love story, that of Prince Hamlet and the young Ophelia. The ghost of Hamlet’s father appears to his son, assigning him the task of killing Claudius to avenge his own death.
What lessons does this story hold for us today? What do we inherit from our forebears and what will we pass on to our offspring?
Performances run from October 25th to October 27th, approximately 70 minutes long, for reference only, with actual duration subject to the live performance.
