6 Actors, 1 Legendary Role | Hamlet in the round | National Theatre

Video Description

Ian McKellen, Rory Kinnear, Adrian Lester, Alex Jennings, Michelle Terry and Hiran Abeysekera share their insights and experiences playing Hamlet at the National Theatre and beyond, revealing the challenges and joys behind Shakespeare’s most iconic role. Generations of Hamlets come together in one unforgettable conversation led by Robert Hastie. After its run at the National Theatre in London, the 2025 version of Hamlet directed by Robert Hastie, deputy artistic director of the National Theatre and led by Hiran Abeysekera makes its worldwide debut on cinemas this 22 January with National Theatre Live, find your venue: hamlet.ntlive.com Audio Description version for this roundtable is available here https://youtu.be/QAdmZ4HUJiY -- 00:00 Hamlet roundtable introduction 00:12 A collection of Hamlets 00:46 Was Hamlet your dream role? 05:48 Ian McKellen played a Hamlet at 81 years old 08:06 Ian McKellen – Hamlet ‘To be or not to be’ 08:53 Adrian Lester – When did Hamlet appear in his life? 10:57 Ian McKellen on a Hamlet Ballet 11:36 The physical demands of playing Hamlet 14:19 Rory Kinnear – Live audience changes everything 17:17 The different Hamlet costumes 18:00 Hamlet rehearsal memories 23:37 Rory Kinnear sword fight choreography 27:30 Is Hamlet a lonely role? 33:46 Performing Hamlet, emotions and family 35:37 Filmed Theatre, National Theatre Live 36:54 Watching others play Hamlet 39:53 Live capture brings theatre to more people 41:46 Ian McKellen ‘There are many Hamlets as there are actors to play it’ 43:06 The legacy of Hamlet 45:50 Audience reactions in Hamlet 47:54 The great Hamlets that never were 50:52 Roundtable End -- We believe that great theatre sparks imagination and brings people together. Every day we strive to make the world a better place through theatre; entertaining and inspiring audiences around the world, using our creativity, expertise and unique reach. You’ll find us in theatres. In cinemas. In schools. And online. -- Discover our work: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ Broadcast to cinemas worldwide: https://www.ntlive.com/ Streaming online: https://www.ntathome.com/ Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/NationalTheatre National Theatre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationaltheatre National Theatre Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationaltheatre National Theatre TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nationaltheatre National Theatre Twitter: https://twitter.com/NationalTheatre National Theatre Live Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ntlive National Theatre Live Twitter: https://twitter.com/NTLive -- About National Theatre Live For over 15 years, we’ve given our audience the best seat in the house. We film unmissable theatre live from Britain’s most exciting stages and screen it in thousands of cinemas around the globe. Our productions have been seen by more than 13 million people worldwide. -- About the Author William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" or simply "the Bard". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted About the roundtable Throughout the 50‑minute conversation, the actors share deeply personal reflections on when Hamlet first “appeared on their professional horizon,” often unexpectedly, and how stepping into the role impacted them. Sir Ian McKellen offers historical context spanning decades of theatrical evolution, including influential productions, set designs, and the philosophical discoveries he made portraying numerous Hamlets both as a young man and again at 81. The roundtable also highlights the emotional resonance of performing Hamlet on film for NT Live, bringing the work to global audiences unable to see it in person — a sentiment especially meaningful to the newest Hamlet, Hiran Abeysekera, whose family in Sri Lanka can now witness his performance. Together, these seven artists paint a rich, multigenerational portrait of Hamlet — a role that continues to challenge, provoke, and reinvent itself with every actor who dares to ask, “To be, or not to be?” #williamshakespeare #theatre #nationaltheatre #nationaltheatrelive #london #interview #roundtable #broadway #westwnd #shakespeare #ianmckellen #hamlet #rorykinnear #arteducation #artsed