Review: NT Live - Hamlet (2025) | National Theatre
- Lisa in the theatre
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
Following its run at the National Theatre in autumn 2025, Hamlet starring Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) will be released in cinemas nationwide in January 2026. Read my review of Robert Hastie's production, captured from the National's Lyttelton stage for NT Live, below.
NT Live: Hamlet ★★★☆☆
Filmed at the Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, London for NT Live
Robert Hastie's production of Hamlet for the National Theatre is ambitious with its bold, modern staging and casting. Epic in scale, this production fills the cavernous Lyttleton stage with grand, extensive sets, a sizable diverse cast wearing jeans and jumpers, and takes a more upbeat, comic tone than is traditional. However for all that, it isn't entirely successful at delivering something historic. As you would expect from the National Theatre, this Hamlet is beautifully staged with impeccable production values, but it's the unforgettable, scene-stealing Ophelia from Francesa Mills that shines brightest.
Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre Hastie was previously responsible for Sheffield Crucible's groundbreaking 'Standing at the Sky's Edge'. His new production of Hamlet for the National, for the most part, stays faithful to Shakespeare's original language and plot:
Prince Hamlet of Denmark (Hiran Abeysekera) is mourning the death of his father, the King. His mother, Queen Gertrude (Ayesha Dharker), has very quickly married his uncle Claudius (Alistair Petrie), the dead King's brother, who has also inherited the throne. When the ghost of the dead King appears and tells Hamlet that he was in fact murdered by Claudius, Hamlet sets out to uncover the truth and to avenge his father's death.
It's a lot for an already contemplative young prince to deal with, and angry and overcome with grief, Hamlet's erratic behaviours see him labeled not only sad but mad. Not unexpectedly from a Shakespearean tragedy, Hamlet's actions and inactions lead to a host of bloody events, but also produce some timeless, iconic quotes and deep, thought-provoking questions.
Hastie's Hamlet opens in complete darkness. Torchlights reach out into the auditorium, and the dead King's ghost appears out of the shadows. I loved this opening scene! It's an exciting and intriguing introduction to this well-trodden tale, and must've been even more impactful, in person, at the theatre. For the 'NT Live' cinema screening the dark, spooky feel does still translate, and as the lights come up, the players are revealed to be in a lavish grand ballroom with finely detailed paintings lining the walls.
Ben Stones' sets are exquisite throughout this Hamlet with the staging for the 'play within a play' - The murder of Gonzago - in particular here beautifully conceived and executed. The thick, red curtains and audience seating are well designed to allow us a perfect birds eye view of Claudius's reaction to the play in their royal theatre, as we watch from our seats in the theatre (or at the cinema.) Clever!
The NT's Hamlet is beautiful to look at and does a good job of telling Shakespeare's tale for any newcomers to the story. However Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play which, if staged in full, can take over 4 hours to perform. Thankfully, Robert Hastie has abridged the text somewhat here and the NT Live screening runs to about 3 hours total, including a 15 minute interval. It still hits all the key plot points, themes and oh so quotable phrases from Shakespeare's most famous work, and for the most part does a good job with pacing.
However In the lead role of Hamlet, Hiran Abeysekera delivers Shakespeare's soliloquies so lightly and fast that it's easy to miss the importance of some key lines. This is where the production would be forgiven for taking a moment to breathe; to ensure that the audience feels the full-force of Hamlet's words and the consequences of his contemplations.
Francesca Mills' Ophelia is a revelation
Others fare better in terms of nailing the rhythm and clarity needed to deliver the deep, complex text. Siobhán Redmond for example only has a small part as a visiting actor who performs for Hamlet, and later for a wider audience in the play within the play, but her delivery is utterly superb. Geoffrey Streatfield's curiously likeable, amusing Polonius is likewise wonderful, while Tim Glenister's Laertes and Tessa Wong's Horatio also impress.
However it's Francesca Mills' Ophelia who is a revelation. Full of playful energy with a commanding stage presence, her impeccable performance is the highlight of the show. Ardently in love with Hamlet, warm and trusting, his cruelty to her stung like a bee, and her breakdown is by far the most heart-wrenching, devastating part of this production. In a play where some scenes and longer monologues failed to fully hold my attention, I was transfixed by Mills' every word.
Valiants attempts have been made to make Hamlet more accessible to younger audiences here with more comedy, modern dress and even guns a la Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet, but balancing tragedy with comedy is tricky, and the offset is this Hamlet didn't land as impactfully for me as others have. The story is of course a classic, and the National Theatre's quality shines all the way through, but I like my tragedies to crush me and this one never quite succeeds in recreating the darkness and drama found in the opening, torchlit, ghost-filled scenes. ★★★☆☆
Hamlet was performed 25 September — 22 November 2025 in the Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, London.
NT Live: Hamlet will be released in cinemas on 22 January 2026 and audiences can find their nearest screening at NTLive.com
MORE: Read my 5* review of NT Live: Inter Alia here
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