Denmark is wrapped in mourning when Prince Hamlet loses his father and watches his mother, Gertrude, hastily marry his uncle Claudius, now king. The night breaks open with a ghost which is his father’s spirit, crying of murder and betrayal. Claudius, the ghost reveals, poured poison into a sleeping king’s ear. Bound by duty yet torn by doubt, Hamlet swears revenge but cloaks himself in madness, turning grief into a weapon. He traps the king with a play that mirrors the crime, and Claudius’s guilt bleeds into the open. In his fury, Hamlet kills Polonius, shattering Ophelia’s fragile heart and driving her to madness and death. Blood calls for blood & Laertes rises in vengeance, Claudius plots in shadows, and poison sharpens every smile. In a final duel, treachery consumes all! The queen, the king, the avenger, and the prince, until Hamlet, dying, hands a broken crown to Fortinbras.
Writer:
William Shakespeare stands as the most enduring voice of English literature, a playwright and a poet who turned human emotion into living drama. His plays move effortlessly between tragedy, comedy, and history, revealing kings undone by ambition, lovers consumed by desire, and fools who speak the sharpest truths. Shakespeare understood the human mind long before psychology named it jealousy in Othello, doubt in Hamlet, hunger for power in Macbeth, mercy in The Tempest. His language reshaped English itself, gifting it countless words and phrases still spoken today.
Director:
Dr. Siva Prasad Tumu is a theatre director, designer, and academic with over two decades of experience in theatre practice and pedagogy. He holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Theatre Arts from the University of Hyderabad, and a Postgraduate Diploma from the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi. He is currently serving as the Head of the Department of Dramatics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, where he has been teaching since 2013. As a director, Dr. Tumu has helmed numerous productions in Telugu and Hindi including Macbeth, Sangham Sharanam Gachami, Sathya Shodhana, Dr. Faustus, Barrister Parvateesham, waiting for Godot, and Gopathrudu, many of which have been performed extensively across India. He has worked widely as a set, costume, and lighting designer, and as a stage manager for major national and international productions and festivals. He has served as visiting faculty at various national institutions and has received international exposure through student exchange programmes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London, and participation in the UKIERI project at Wimbledon College of Arts.
Director’s Note
For me, Hamlet is more than just a tragedy penned by Shakespeare. It is a deep exploration of human emotions and complexities. Hamlet’s profound grief and his quest for revenge against his uncle unfold not only as a tragic narrative but also as a window into his inner turmoil. As an educator, teaching Hamlet to students involves more than just conveying the plot; it is about guiding them through Hamlet’s emotional landscape, his philosophical dilemmas, and the intricate conflicts that define the play. By reimagining Hamlet through contemporary lenses and exploring the play’s timeless concepts, we create a dynamic learning experience that resonates with modern audiences.
Group:
The Department of Dramatics at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, founded in 1975, offers a strong blend of theoretical study and practical training in acting, direction, stagecraft, and theatre history. Through workshops, rehearsals, and stage productions, it nurtures creativity, discipline, and artistic expression. With exposure to Indian classical, folk, and contemporary theatre practices, the department prepares students for careers in theatre, education, and related creative fields.