Stoppard plays Hamlet

Ed Stoppard, son of infamous playwright Tom Stoppard, will take the title role in the English Touring Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which will run at the New Ambassadors theatre from 13 February.

Stoppard takes on one of the stage’s most challenging and famous roles in playing the Danish prince haunted by the ghost of his murdered father and obsessed by revenge. He is joined by Olivier award-nominated actress Anita Dobson (most famous for playing Eastenders’ Angie), as Hamlet’s mother Queen Gertrude and Alice Patten, the actress daughter of former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, as the tortured soul Ophelia. Ben Warwick plays Laertes and David Robb is Claudius.

The production toured the UK with the same cast in the autumn of 2005, and begins previews at the New Ambassadors from 13 February, opening on 20 February.

Stephen Unwin, artistic director of The English Touring Theatre, directs the production. In 2003 Unwin won the Shakespeare’s Globe Sam Wanamaker Award, which is given to those who have helped increase the understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare. ETT’s first production of Hamlet, 12 years ago, starred Alan Cumming and Eleanor Bron and also transferred to the West End.

Ed Stoppard has recently appeared in Age, Sex, Location at London’s Riverside Studios and added to his Shakespeare back catalogue with The Merchant Of Venice at the Chichester Festival Theatre.