The Motive and the Cue

Why would the most famous movie star in the world choose to do a play which everyone already knows? And what lures us back to the same plays, year after year?

Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction.

But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

This fierce and funny new play by Jack Thorne offers a glimpse into the politics of a rehearsal room and the relationship between art and celebrity.

Cast & Crew

Cast

Alfred Drake (Claudius)
Christine Cooper (Player Queen)
Clement Fowler (Rosencrantz)
Dillon Evans (Osric)
Eileen Herlie (Gertrude)
Elizabeth Taylor (a world apart)
Frederick Young (Barnardo)
George Voskovec (Player King)
Hugh McHaffie (a further world apart)
Hume Cronyn (Polonius)
Jessica Levy (assistant to Sir John)
Linda Marsh (Ophelia)
Mick Burrows (Stage Manager)
Richard Burton (Hamlet)
Robert Milli (Horatio)
Sir John Gielgud (Director and Ghost)
Susannah Mason (Stage Manager)
Understudy Alfred Drake / Stage Managers
Understudy Dillon Evans / Frederick Young / Clement Fowler / Robert Milli
Understudy Elizabeth Taylor / Eileen Herlie
Understudy Hugh McHaffie
Understudy Hume Cronyn / George Voskovec
Understudy Jessica Levy / Linda Marsh / Christine Cooper
Understudy Richard Burton
Understudy Sir John Gielgud
Understudy William Redfield
William Redfield (Guildenstern)

Crew

Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Associate Director
Associate Set Designer
Automation Supervisor
Casting
Casting
Company Voice Work
Composer
Construction Supervisor
Costume Designer
Costume Supervisor
Deputy Production Manager
Deputy Stage Manager
Dialect Coach
Digital Art
Director
Flying Supervisor
Lighting Designer
Lighting Programmer
Lighting Supervisor
Producer
Production Manager
Production Photographer
Production Sound Engineer
Project Draughting
Prop Buyer
Prop Buyer
Prop Coordinator
Prop Supervisor
Prop Supervisor
Prop Supervisor
Radio Mic Technician
Radio Mic Technician
Rigging Supervisor
Running Wardrobe Supervisor
Scenic Art Supervisor
Senior Assistant Costume Supervisor
Set Designer
Sound Designer
Sound Operator
Staff Director
Stage Manager
Stage Supervisor
Video Designer
Video Programmer
Wigs, Hair & Make-Up Supervisor

Seen, or going to see

Photographs

If you have a photograph or picture that illustrates this production, please sign in to upload it, or add it to Flickr and tag it with .

Photo credits

  • Promotional / Poster Image by Leo Friedman, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution
  • The Motive and the Cue by Mark Douet, Creative Commons Attribution

Observations

  1. On 21st April 2023 at 2:22 p.m., alexpacker noted:

    The first scheduled preview performance on Thursday 20th April, 2023 was cancelled. The first preview performance was on Friday 21st April, 2023.

If you have an interesting observation or anecdote about this production that you think others may be interested in, please sign in in order to record it here.