Andrew Clarke has performed many roles at the Gorbals theatre, having been pivotal to performances of The Bevellers, No Mean City and Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle & Dick. He has also received great acclaim for his performances with NTS, Grid Iron, Dundee Rep and the Royal Lyceum not to mention a strong cameo appearance in the recent film, The Da Vinci Code. This may be his most defining role yet in a production that stays true to the text but strives to bring a new emotional depth to the title role. He is supported by a strong Scottish cast including Barrie Hunter, John Kazek, Fletcher Mathers, Samantha Young and Billy Mack.

Andrew follows in a distinguished line of Hamlets at the Citizens' Theatre which was last performed over 11 years ago in Philip Prowse's 1996 production with Cal MacAninch in the lead role. Other such luminary names as David Hayman (1970 & 1975), Andrew Wilde (1981) and Henry Ian Cusick (1993) have also played the tortured Danish Prince. But Guy Hollands' production is set to be very different again - this Hamlet will wear his heart on his sleeve.

This will be Hollands' first main stage production as Joint Artistic Director of the Citizens' Theatre having previously held the position as Artistic Director of TAG. Buoyant from the sell-out success of David's Greig's Yellow Moon at the Edinburgh Festival this year - which is now on its second run at the Citizens' and about to embark on a second extensive schools tour - Hollands has also grabbed the attention of audiences and critics with his previous productions of The Crucible (TAG/NTS), A Taste of Honey (TAG), Knives in Hens (TAG) and The Birthday Party (TAG). In addition, he generated great interest with his massive community theatre piece Ice Cream Dreams earlier this year, which brought together 31 non-professionals on the Citizens' main stage.

Designed by Jason Southgate who has previously been lauded in the press for his costume and set design of The Bevellers and James and The Giant Peach, this version of Hamlet will have mother nature's core elements of earth, water and fire to the fore. -- www.citz.co.uk