Shakespeare Festival

What's On

Hamlet

Thursday 4 and Friday 5 July 2024

image-dc1c38b3bdea592a15faf3bf5730ac79942feb80-7875x5250-jpg
image-79ca4e45b768bbf2d5ef2f305338f837cc9f5a78-7915x5277-jpg
image-8f141eb85cf5dce1a68c9873b948f73dde7c89d2-5953x3961-jpg
image-759f162450bdd690e8aab54d3a5aece4cfbbcfc8-4604x2808-jpg
image-0f72a66f275183b8f64de25e0c8201a2a6d1db38-5788x3851-jpg

One of Shakespeare’s most epic masterpieces will be played out in the stunning surrounds of Norwich Cathedral’s Cloister this summer.

Hamlet will be performed by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men (TLCM) on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 July 2024 at 7pm for the annual open-air Shakespeare Festival which is always a summer highlight at the Cathedral.

Audiences will be transported back to the state of Denmark from centuries past for this ultimate tale of high stakes, revenge and betrayal where Prince Hamlet famously asks “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

It is a welcome return for The Lord Chamberlain’s Men who last year wowed audiences at the Cathedral with sold-out performances of Romeo and Juliet.

image-ae043cb50f8c4ac967a53acaf60816f27e7983f2-7498x4999-jpg

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men are a modern-day incarnation of the Bard’s own travelling troupe of players, and they will be performing Hamlet just as it would have been played out in Shakespeare’s day - with an all-male cast, Elizabethan costumes and traditional music and dance.

The company have spent two decades entertaining audiences across the country and beyond, and at Norwich Cathedral they have previously performed Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth.

image-ccf8833ee52b8ce0c1d8e0db623999a3cd4b3a64-6048x4024-jpg

Each night the show starts at 7pm, and doors open at 6pm so you can enjoy drinks or picnics in the beautiful Cloister ahead of the performance.

Our friends at Bread Source will have stalls in the Cloister selling tasty treats and hot and cold drinks.

image-c7314f9dc11f4718950933af61745c5e13e899de-5453x7288-jpg

The Cathedral stewards will assist disabled audience members to their choice of seats on arrival. Please note there is no dedicated wheelchair seating areas as seats are available on a first come first served basis.

There is disabled access via the Cloister Garth entrance in the South East corner of the Cloister. Please note that parts of the grass area in the Cloister Garth can be uneven.

Assistance dogs are also welcome at the performance.

We are pleased to be able to offer a free essential companion ticket to people with a disability who would be unable to attend without an essential companion. Please email marketing@cathedral.org.uk for further details.

image-a1c54a8b0f0cc39d68f5847ba6dfbe486c1768c0-4832x8123-jpg

The Cloister will open for audience members at 6pm and there will be no entry before this time due to preparations for the performance taking place.

Seating is provided but unreserved and the performance is due to finish shortly after 9pm.

Limited parking is available in The Close and is on a first come first served basis.

Please note only assistance dogs are permitted at this performance.

Audience members are not permitted to bring cameras to this performance.

Please note the Cathedral is a no smoking and no vaping area.

The show will continue in all but the very worst weather! Please visit The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’s Weather Page for more details.

image-b98ddd2ebaa9c189ffcf6a1c7cbfde849b36958e-5853x3894-jpg

Tickets cost £22 plus booking fee.

Please note that tickets are non-refundable.