Grand Theft Hamlet

In 2021, as the United Kingdom is about to enter its third lockdown, professional actors Sam and Mark take refuge in the world of the infamous video game, Grand Theft Auto. Between two bloody fights, they arrive by chance in an open-air arena, a painful reminder that the theatres are closed. In this virtual world where everything is possible and violence omnipresent, they are reminded of Hamlet. Joined by Pinny, a documentary filmmaker, they embark on a wild project: staging Shakespeare’s play within GTA itself, with actor-gamers. As an incongruous community grows around the project, including a nerdy Shakespeare fan and a shy gamer who dreams of the limelight, a show begins to take shape. But in the world of GTA as in that of Hamlet, violence reigns supreme, and the protagonists must pursue their project in spite of the ever-present threat of being killed by other gamers with less Shakespearian priorities. The distance created by constantly interweaving the worlds of the video game, the play and reality results in a hilariously offbeat film.
Léa Eigenmann

Pinny Grylls
Grand Theft Hamlet, 2024
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Sam Crane
Grand Theft Hamlet, 2024
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