The Danish prince goes Black British — and Shakespeare finally gets the casting he deserved.
Shakespeare’s tale of psychological turmoil and familial destruction is brought vividly to life in this Black Theatre Live production, in association with Watford Palace Theatre and Stratford Circus Arts Centre. Captured live at Tara Theatre in south London, this production marked the first time an all-black cast presented Shakespeare’s classic tragedy in the UK. The seminal performance is followed by a Q&A session with director Jeffery Kissoon and Jatinder Verma MBE, Artistic Director of Tara Arts.
Acting
Miller's double-duty as ghost and usurper carries eerie mirror-weight.
Direction
Kissoon's staging at Tara Theatre makes 200 seats feel infinite.
Costume
Contemporary African-influenced design reclaims Elizabethan baggage.
Director
Jeffery Kissoon
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tara Arts was founded in 1977 specifically to decolonize British theater; this production fulfilled Jatinder Verma's four-decade mission to claim Shakespeare for Black British identity.
The grave digger scene uses actual calypso rhythms — Laird, a veteran of 'The Black Jacobins,' insisted on musicalizing mortality.
US
