Patrick Stewart recently sat down with Jane Wheatley of The Times for a wide-ranging interview. Stewart candidly discussed his early interest in Shakespeare, his love life, success with Star Trek, his feelings about living in England again and even his enduring faith in the Labour Party.
Stewart is currently in rehearsals for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s upcoming production of “Hamlet.” He will play Claudius and the ghost of Hamlet’s father opposite David Tennant’s Hamlet.
Regarding his dual roles,” Wheatley writes, “It was his idea: “They are brothers so it’s natural they would share some genetic similarities: body language, voice, certain expressions…” How is he doing Claudius - lustful and evil? “You mean typecasting?” he quips. “No, it’s a love story; Shakespeare gives you plenty of clues to that. Old Hamlet was a distant figure, a warrior, away from home a lot, hero-worshipped by his son. Claudius is a negotiator, a diplomat.”
Read the complete Times interview here
Hamlet is at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, 24 July – 15 November.
It will move to will London’s Novello Theatre, 3 December - 10 January.
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[...] the conviction to avenge his father’s murder. For good measure, the production will also feature Patrick Stewart, formerly Captain Picard of the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation, in dual [...]