Royal Shakespeare Company on stage in Rotherham

Three schools will host performances for their students - Wickersley, Wales and Winterhill - and there will be two public performances held at the Magna Science and Adventure Centre on the 7th and 8th of October.

The tour heralds a new way of reaching audiences who may not normally have access to the RSC's work: in schools the daytime performances will be for schoolchildren, with evening performances aimed at their families and the local community.  In the theatre venues tickets will be available for the general public.

The six week tour of the Young People's Shakespeare (YPS) production of Hamlet will visit schools and local theatre venues in the West Midlands, Cornwall, Plymouth (including Torbay), North East England, Rotherham and Merseyside areas. 

Adapted by Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Shebani and directed by Tarell, this 70 minute version of the play is performed using Shakespeare's original text and without interval.  Many of the daytime performances will be followed by a schools' workshop led by the actors, and most other performances will be accompanied by a Q and A with the company.

Since 2008, through its YPS productions, the RSC has invited directors and writers to make surprising, challenging and entertaining work for children aged 8 and over, giving them a great first experience of Shakespeare.  Although primarily aimed at children the YPS productions have proved just as popular with audiences of all ages.

This production of Hamlet opened in 2010, and has been seen by audiences in Stratford-upon-Avon, Newcastle and in schools in outer London boroughs which are part of the RSC's 400 strong Learning and Performance Network (LPN).   Prior to this tour, the show will be performed as part of the RSC's residency in New York this summer.
Dharmesh Patel takes on the title role of Hamlet, with Debbie Korley as Ophelia.  The cast of nine also includes: Dyfan Dwyfor (Laertes/Marcellus/Rosencrantz), Gruffudd Glyn (Barnardo/Guildernstern/Osric), Peter Peverley (Polonius/1st Sailor/Priest/Pirate), Patrick Romer (Ghost/A Player/Pirate), David Rubin (Claudius), Simone Saunders (Horatio) and Kirsty Woodward (Gertrude/A Player).

Jacqui O'Hanlon, RSC Director of Education, said:
 "The Young People's Shakespeare performance series lives out the principles of our Stand Up For Shakespeare* manifesto by creating opportunities for children and young people to see Shakespeare Live, but this time in their own back yard.  The YPS Hamlet tour is the fulfilment of a long held company ambition to take our work on the road and into schools and communities that would otherwise rarely get the chance to see it.

"It also demonstrates our commitment to excellence in the teaching, learning and performance of Shakespeare's plays with half of the Hamlet company possessing an RSC/University of Warwick postgraduate award in the teaching of Shakespeare*. Most importantly of all, the work is being promoted by the schools and venues who know their communities best."

Joining Tarrell on the creative team are Michael Fentiman (Associate Director), Jean Chan (Designer), Tom Piper (Associate Designer) and Terry King (Fight Director).