Actress Maxine Peake is to play Hamlet in a
"radical re-imagining" of the play at Manchester's Royal Exchange
theatre.
Peake began her
career in the venue's youth theatre before going on to star in such TV shows as
Shameless and Silk.
"I am so
excited [about] how gender swapping can affect and throw up new ways of looking
at this theatrical masterpiece," she said.
The play will
open next autumn and will mark the start of her wider role as an associate
artist at the theatre.
Hamlet will see
Peake reunited with Royal Exchange artistic director Sarah Frankcom, who
recently directed the actress in The Masque of Anarchy for the Manchester
International Festival.
That production
saw Peake recite Percy Bysshe Shelley's rousing poem about the Peterloo
Massacre in Manchester in 1819.
"Sarah and
I have looked for a project that would stretch and excite us and Hamlet just
seemed the the next natural step to challenge us both in so many ways,"
the Salford-based actress said.
Peake will
follow in the footsteps of actresses from Sarah Bernhardt to Frances de la
Tour, who have played Hamlet on stage in the past.
She added that
the chance to join the Royal Exchange as an associate artist was "the
cherry on the cake".
"I am so
honoured to be part of this building's future for a little while, especially in
this climate of savage cuts when more than ever we need to support our
wonderful regional theatres," Peake said.
"I feel no
need to compete with London - more than ever local people need a voice and a
creative outlet in these extreme times and I feel the Exchange has a huge role
to play in that."
Sarah Frankcom
said: "I am certain Maxine will be a compelling and extraordinary Hamlet
for our time."
The Royal
Exchange said Peake would also get involved in the theatre's work with
community groups and young people across Manchester.
She last
starred on the Royal Exchange stage in August Strindberg's Miss Julie last year.
Source: BBC
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