The Royal Shakespeare Company this month presents a radical adaptation of Hamlet, which blends the story with Radiohead’s seminal album, Hail to the Thief. The production, which has been orchestrated by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, features a live band on stage, in collaboration with actors bringing to life Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy.

What’s On spoke to Alby Baldwin, who plays Horatio, to find out more…

Alby, can you introduce the concept behind Hamlet Hail to the Thief?

Hamlet Hail to the Thief is a dynamic, feverish new live experience that brings together the music of Radiohead and the story of Hamlet. It's an idea that was thought up 20 years ago by Christine Jones, and I think she just felt deeply in her soul that it was a beautiful marriage.

It's now come to life, fully formed - and it's more than the sum of its parts, I would say. It's not just the music, it's just not just the story. It lands somewhere in the middle, and it’s an experience for the audience - emotional, dynamic and heart wrenching.

Were you familiar with Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the work of Radiohead before this project?

I studied Hamlet at school, like a lot of people do, and was taught by a teacher who was really passionate about it, which was my way into it. I hadn't really listened to the music of Radiohead - to my shame - and have now become a fan, mainly through meeting Thom Yorke, and witnessing his artistry and how he approaches his work… I really do think this particular album, the way that it works in the theatre is kind of incredible. 

What has the creative process been like?

It's been really collaborative. It felt like we were making stuff slightly in the dark - we didn't know what we were making, so it was less conscious. It felt like we were doing rough sketches with our eyes closed, and then when we put that to the music or to the scene with the text, suddenly we'd start to see what we'd pieced together. It all comes from this 'DIY' centre.

Some of the cast have done work that required movement devising before, and some hadn't, which was a really nice mix. If we were all dancers or all non-dancers, it would have had a different outcome. We then went down stairs, where the band was set up - where all the dudes were hanging out, making their music. We'd go down feeling not cool enough to be doing this show. I think it’s actually helpful to have that feeling! We would rub the two things up against each other. The musicians were already completely flawless in their execution, and we would put what we had done up against that music. Everyone would play their part, and work out what needed to stay and what needed to go. It was quite ruthless at times - it was a process of shaving things down, and then turning up the volume on other things, to make a complete piece of art.

You're playing Horatio, who is a witness to the events in Shakespeare’s play. What's your character like in this version?

Similar - there's been some changes to the text, and blending of characters to give a more streamlined story, but Horatio is definitely a witness to the story, and is quite powerless, which feels very poignant in today's world. Horatio is watching Hamlet spiral, and doesn't quite have the agency to stop that from happening. I've had to work out a performance that explains why Horatio doesn't just grab Hamlet by the shoulders and shake him. Horatio is aware that Hamlet is suffering from a mental illness of some kind, and either has experience of that in his past or has experience of grief, and is aware that loving Hamlet is the only thing that he can do. 

Sometimes he's really angry at Hamlet for treating him so unkindly, for talking to women the way that he does - the way that he's treating his mother, the way that he's treating Ophelia. In our production, Horatio sees all of that. Casting me in that role, as a non-binary person, does change the impact. I see Hamlet speak to Ophelia awfully, which is horrible to watch, to then say “And that’s my best friend…” Horatio's part feels similar to the audience’s experience of the show. I'm watching the play with the audience, and then at the end I'm left with them, and I speak to them.

What's it like performing with the live band on stage?

It's incredible. Firstly, the feeling that you're not alone on stage is really delicious… It sounds incredible, it just blasts from behind you - you and the audience are completely immersed in it. The musicians are so highly skilled, and we're all friends now, so when the bass comes in at the end of the show, I know that it's Joe Downard, in his box where he's been sat for an hour and a half… The music doesn't allow the audience to stop and think - to judge what they're feeling or what the characters are feeling - it's just high-impact. It gets you in the gut, and you just have to feel.

Is there a moment that you feel really creates that gut-punch, between the music and text?

In this production, in order to centre Ophelia’s (Ami Tredrea) own story of mental illness, she performs the ‘To be or not to be’ monologue. With Jack, who does the sound manipulation, they are essentially in a duet, where Jack is taking samples of Ami's voice live, and sending them around the space, then there's also Tom Knowles on keys in the background. It’s a trio of skills, to bring this moment into reality.

We’re excited to be at the RSC, to be going from a warehouse space to a theatre space. We're remaking it for a more traditional theatre space, but keeping its DIY roots firmly at the forefront.

Hamlet Hail to the Thief shows at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from Wednesday 4 until Saturday 28 June.