Is a West End move to be or not to be for Benedict’s Hamlet?
Benedict cumberbatch wil l gi v e hi s first performance as Hamlet on Wednesday, in previews at the Barbican — and his final one at the end of October.
But the question the actor’s legion of fans really want to know is whether the production will transfer to the West end — or Broadway — aft er its limited season.
there have been no conversations about a future life for this particular Prince of denmark. Once the run ends at the Barbican, the rest is silence — unless t he actor can be persuaded to reprise the role.
But that’s not part of the arrangement he has with producer Sonia Friedman and director Lyndsey turner. there would have to be separate negotiations if Hamlet moves elsewhere.
Making a transfer less likely is the fact that as soon as the Barbican run ends, cumberbatch will play Marvel comics sorcerer dr Stephen Strange in the movie doctor Strange. Shooting is likely to last around five months. And as soon as that’s done, he will morph back into Sherlock Holmes, and spend four months or so shooting three new episodes of the BBc series, with filming set to start next April.
So cumberbatch would not be available to return to Hamlet — even if he wanted to — until around this time next year.
if you haven’t got tickets for the play, don’t despair. Hamlet will be filmed, as this page revealed a year ago, for nt Live and screened i n cinemas around the country on October 15 (and later in other parts of the world).
i suspect that if cumberbatch does decide to return to Hamlet following his work on doctor Strange and Sherlock, he may well opt to take Shakespeare’s tragedy to Broadway — where he would be making his debut.
Much depends on how the production is received by critics and the public. And it’s worth remembering that it’s not just cumberbatch’s availability that’s an issue.
it would be an enormous task to bring the rest of the company (including ciaran Hinds, who’s pl ayi ng claudius) together again; and producer Friedman and director turner also have packed schedules.