HAMNET
Photograph: José Miguel Jimènez
Grief fills the room up of my absent child
King John, Act III Scene iv
William Shakespeare had one son. He named him Hamnet. Shakespeare then left home to pursue his career in the theatre, effectively abandoning his family. In 1596, he was told that the boy - who was then eleven years old - was seriously ill. By the time Shakespeare reached Stratford, Hamnet had died.
In 1599, Shakespeare wrote a play called Hamlet.
Hamnet is too young to understand Shakespeare. We are too old to understand Hamnet.
We meet in the middle, in a theatre, in purgatory: youth reaching forward to a life it will never know, an audience reaching back to a life it has forgotten. Hamnet must be shielded from the secret of adulthood: that we don’t know what we’re doing.
Irish Premiere September 2017 at the Abbey Theatre as part of Dublin Theatre Festival.
For all touring info, please contact info@deadcentre.org
”An extraordinarily fascinating and moving disposition on the meaning of life and particularly of death. “
Independent on Sunday
”This fascinating production takes us into a child’s view of the world, without any sentimentality.”
The Guardian
“A remarkable piece about an 11-year old boy, who, in searching for his father, also tries to understand family relationships, childhood and parenthood.”
Financial Times
Performed by
Ollie West (2017-2018)
Aran Murphy (2018-2019)
Set Design Andrew Clancy
Costume Design Grace O’Hara
Light Stephen Dodd
Video José Miguel Jiménez
Sound and Music Kevin Gleeson
Stage Manager Barbara Hughes
Production Manager Nic Ree
Trailer José Miguel Jiménez
Graphic Design Jason Booher
Text by Bush Moukarzel, Ben Kidd and William Shakespeare
Dramaturg Michael West
Direction Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd
Produced by Rachel Murray, Matthew Smyth and Aisling Ormonde
TOUR DATES
2017
April - FIND Festival, Schaubühne (DE)
August - Noordezon Festival (NL)
September - Abbey Theatre, Dublin (IR)
2018
May - Take Me Somewhere, Glasgow (UK)
May - Southbank Centre (UK)
August - Brisbane Festival (AU)
September - Arts Emerson, Boston (USA)
November - Warwick Arts Centre (UK)
2019
March - Hong Kong Arts Festival (CN)
November - BAM, New York (USA)
Touring supported by Culture Ireland
Hamnet was a co-production with the Abbey Theatre. The world premiere took place at Schaubühne, Berlin as part of F.I.N.D. Festival, with support from Culture Ireland. Created with the support of The Arts Council, Ireland. With thanks to Jenny Hall.
