Searching for Hamlet … and Stage Hands
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Recruitment is underway for performers and a backstage team to present a community production of Hamlet at the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
We, (Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham) are creating a new People’s Theatre Company to present a production of Hamlet to be performed at the venue in June 2025.
This shortened new version of Shakespeare’s longest play (a full, uncut version of Hamlet can last four to five hours) entitled Hamlet: The Rest is Silence will run at approximately 90 minutes and will be performed on the Royal Concert Hall stage. Directed by the venue’s Heritage and Learning Partnerships Manager, Rebecca Morris, it’s part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare Nation project, supported by the RSC and the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham.
Shakespeare Nation is a community participation programme run by the RSC and their partner theatres, which collaborates with people who have little or no experience of Shakespeare to explore his plays and make theatre that reflects and celebrates who we are as a nation.
For this production of Hamlet: The Rest is Silence, local people are invited to fill all the stage roles as well as forming the backstage production team responsible for stage management, lighting, special effects and sound.
A full professional training programme will be provided by our technical staff and visiting practitioners from the RSC. This is an incredible opportunity for those interested in a career in this field, or who would like to gain technical experience, so places are expected to fill up quickly.
Anyone interested in joining the technical team, are invited to fill out an expression of interest form here by Monday 10 June. No previous experience is necessary, but participants must be over 18 years of age. Places on the technical training programme will be confirmed by Wednesday 12 June.
Casting workshops to fill all stage roles will be held on Monday 8 July (evening), Saturday 20 July (daytime) and Saturday 27 July (daytime and evening). Again, no previous stage experience is necessary, but participants must be over 18 years of age. Those who would like to express an interest are invited to sign up here by Friday 21 June.
Rebecca Morris, who will be directing the production, is thrilled to be able to offer local people this remarkable opportunity: “Being part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare Nation throws open all kinds of incredible opportunities, and this one really is unique. To get a chance to join a brand-new community theatre company in partnership with two such prestigious organisations, to work on an exciting new version of Hamlet, and perform on the incredible Royal Concert Hall stage really is the stuff that dreams are made of.
“I’m especially thrilled that, thanks to the support of the RSC and funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Arts Council, we are going to provide an exceptional training programme for our technical team, run by our in-house professional staff. Shakespeare is a particular passion of mine, and bringing a new take on Hamlet to the Royal Concert Hall’s magnificent stage space is very special. This is part of a two-year programme of work that TRCH is undertaking with the RSC, so watch this space for even more opportunities to get involved over the coming months.”
Once roles are filled, rehearsals will take place at the Nottingham venue between September 2024 and April 2025, primarily on evenings and weekends. Please note that participation in this People’s Theatre community production will be voluntary and unpaid.
For more information, or for anyone who cannot make one of the recruitment dates above but is still interested in participating, please send your details via this form