Why would the most famous movie star in the world choose to do a play which everyone already knows? Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Sam Mendes directs a startling and humorous glimpse into the politics of a rehearsal room and the relationship between art and celebrity.
Set in 1964, the play depicts the time when Richard Burton, newly married to the iconic actress Elizabeth Taylor, is to take the title role in an experimental production of Hamlet, under the challenging direction of John Gielgud, an English actor and producer considered one of the best Shakespearean interpreters of his generation. Yet, as rehearsals progress, two theatrical ages collide, threatening the collaboration between actor and director.
Bringing back Mendes’ ingenuity after The Lehman Trilogy, his first digital stint at the Macao Arts Festival, back in 2021, this fierce and funny award-winning production, written by Jack Thorne (theatrical version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) was also filmed live at the UK’s National Theatre. Now it’s time for performing arts lovers to have a blast with yet another display of world class theatre, reliving a lost era at the Cinematheque．Passion.
Director:Sam Mendes
Duration:172 minutes including one interval
Language:English
Subtitles:Chinese
Rating:Group C (Not suitable for audiences aged under 18, and restricted for those aged under 13)
The Motive and the Cue