William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is experiencing a remarkable cultural resurgence, appearing simultaneously across film, theatre, music, and social media. The tragedy about a moody Danish prince grappling with his uncle's murder of his father is flourishing in ways that span traditional and digital platforms.
Multiple major productions are currently in development or touring. A National Theatre production has landed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music starring Hiran Abeysekera, while a movie version set in London's South Asian community stars Riz Ahmed. Anthony Hopkins, at 88 years old, has delighted fans on TikTok by performing Prince Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" soliloquy. Eddie Izzard is taking a one-person production of the play on a worldwide tour.
The play's influence extends to popular music and film. Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia"—named after Hamlet's ex—reached No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart. The movie "Hamnet," a fictionalized account of the loss that inspired Shakespeare's original creation, earned Jessie Buckley an Oscar.
The Royal Shakespeare Company is taking a stage adaptation of "Hamnet," based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, on a U.K. tour. Shakespeare & Company will stage a production in August in the Berkshires. A Canadian production titled "Hamlet, Sweet Prince" employs a queer, contemporary lens. The Acting Company in New York will present a modern-verse version led by a woman, while Teatro La Plaza, a Peruvian theatre company, recently presented an off-Broadway version starring eight Spanish-speaking actors with Down syndrome.
Harvard Shakespeare scholar Jeffrey R. Wilson suggests the play resonates with contemporary audiences facing relentless bad news. "People are exhausted from the onslaught of awfulness in the world," Wilson says, explaining why "Hamlet"—with its endlessly questioning antihero—feels particularly relevant today.
