On Thursday 26th January, my English A-Level class gathered after school to watch Robert Icke's adaptation of Hamlet, starring Andrew Scott as the title character. This was essential viewing for our A-level course, which features William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'.

The 5-act tragedy follows Hamlet's story after the death of his father, Old Hamlet. His mother Gertrude, played by Juliet Stevenson, marries Hamlet's uncle, Claudius who Angus Wright plays, however, it is revealed that Claudius was the killer of Old Hamlet, leading Hamlet to search for revenge for his late father.

Our whole class thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary adaptation, set in present-day Denmark, with Mei Thum saying she "really enjoyed Andrew Scott's interpretation of Hamlet". I personally found it to be a masterclass in acting delivered by Andrew Scott. His take on the infamous Dane is very memorable as his disposition shines through yet is not overbearing, Maia Pendower also claims that "Andrew Scott displayed a riveting depiction of madness".

The rest of the cast are all great with Juliet Stevenson giving a remarkable performance as Gertrude, exhibiting her great chemistry with Angus Wright's Claudius leading to a great portrayal of their love until Gertrude becomes aware of the fact that her husband was the man who previously made her a widow. Jessica Brown Findlay is phenomenal as Ophelia, being able to display her clear love for Hamlet as well as her madness due to the grief over her father, Polonius's, death.

To conclude, this is one of the best adaptations of Hamlet to date due to Robert Icke's modern take and wonderful staging as well as the incredible performances from the whole cast. Even people who are not fans of William Shakespeare will be sure to enjoy this original take on one of the most famous plays.