News & Events

THE MAN WHO WAS HAMLET

Who really wrote Hamlet? Award-winning performer George Dillon returns to Edinburgh after six years with his new play, The Man Who Was Hamlet, which tells the comical, tragical, romantic and utterly scandalous history of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, the leading alternative candidate for the authorship of the works of ‘William Shakespeare’.

"An exciting piece of writing, witty and sharp, ironic, comedic and sometimes philosophical… and, as usual, a masterclass in delivery and individual performance."
FringeReview

The fairy-tale story of ‘the man from Stratford’ - an unschooled glove-maker’s son who left his wife to find wealth and fame as a playwright in London - is widely believed... but there is actually very little evidence for any of it.

So who was Edward de Vere? A brilliant but disgraceful aristocrat whose life and character strikingly echo Shakespeare’s most famous character, Edward de Vere was a courtier, swordsman, adventurer and poet, who was hailed as the best of the secret court writers, especially for his comedies. But no plays have survived bearing de Vere’s name and his poetry suddenly stopped after the first invention of... 'William Shake-speare'.

So was de Vere the inspiration and role model for Hamlet... or was he really the author? In George Dillon’s seventh solo show, directed by Denise Evans with music by Charlotte Glasson, the dying Dane’s last words summon the ghost of Edward de Vere to tell his own story, restore his wounded name and triumph over time.

"It’s easy to see why Dillon’s performances have made him the toast of Edinburgh... The journey through Oxford’s life was a virtuoso display of dramatic range."
BritishTheatreGuide

Since Stunning the Punters in 1990, George Dillon has created several compelling one man shows which have toured extensively in the UK and abroad. This year will be George’s fourteenth on the Fringe. He won a Herald ‘Angel’ Award in 2000 for his performance in Steven Berkoff’s Graft - Tales of an Actor, and his last two Edinburgh shows were each nominated for The Stage’s ‘Best Actor’ Award (Graft in 2000 and The Gospel of Matthew in 2003). This year he has also directed newcomer Jade Blue in a one woman show, Against the Odds, inspired by a Paul Auster novel and co-written by Dillon and Blue. Both shows are at Hill Street Theatre, 5th-30th August.

WEB LINKS
www.georgedillon.com
www.remarkable-arts.com

LISTINGS:

THE MAN WHO WAS HAMLET
written and performed by George Dillon.
The story of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, leading alternative candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare.

BRIGHTON
Thur 29th & Fri 30th July. 7.30pm.
The Nightingale Theatre. £8.50/£7.50 Concs.
01273 709709.

EDINBURGH
Thur 5th - Mon 30th August (not Tuesdays). 19:10 (ends 20:40).
VENUE 41, Hill Street Theatre.
£9/£7 concs (£5 previews 5th – 7th August).
0131 226 6522.

TOUR DATES
Thu 9th Sep 2010
LYME REGIS, Marine Theatre

Fri 17th Sep 2010
HAVANT, The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre

Thu 30th Sep 2010
LEICESTER, The Y Theatre

Thu 21st & Fri 22nd Oct 2010
HULL, Hull Truck Theatre

Wed 19th Jan 2011
UPPINGHAM, Uppingham Theatre

Fri 21st Jan 2011
BASINGSTOKE, Central Studio

Sat 22nd Jan 2011
NEW MILTON, Forest Arts Centre

Thu 3rd & Fri 4th Mar 2011
POOLE Lighthouse

Tue 22nd Mar 2011
DARLINGTON, Arts Centre

Tue 24th Mar 2011
KENDAL, Brewery Arts Centre (t.b.c)

Tue 25th Mar 2011
WHITEHAVEN, Rosehill Theatre (t.b.c)

Thu 31st Mar 2011
BRIDGWATER, Arts Centre (t.b.c)