Inspired by actors John Gielgud and Richard Burton… The Motive and the Cue playing at the Lyttelton Theatre

In 1964, Richard Burton played the title on Broadway in an experimental new take on Hamlet directed by John Gielgud.

The production ran for 17 weeks, breaking a record previously held by Gielgud himself and was sold out each night.

But, for many of those involved it was not such a success.

As rehearsals progressed, two ages of theatre collided and the collaboration between actor and director began to unravel.

This is the subject of a new play by Jack Thorne, The Motive and the Cue.

Directed by Sam Mendes and featuring a cast that includes Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, Tuppence Middleton and Janie Dee.

The Motive and the Cue was inspired by Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne.

The play opened in the Lyttelton Theatre, on the ground floor of King’s College London Waterloo campus, and will be showing until July 15.

Website: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-motive-and-the-cue/

Picture: Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn in The Motive and the Cue Picture: Mark Douet