Thom Yorke, Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett, Hamlet Hail to the Thief

Ahead of the London run of Hamlet Hail to the Thief at the Barbican Theatre, Mary Anne Hobbs joins Thom Yorke alongside directors and Co-Creators Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones, actors Samuel Blenkin who plays Hamlet, Ami Tredrea who plays Ophelia, and arranger Justin Levine at rehearsals for their acclaimed collaboration that brings together Shakespeare's Hamlet and Radiohead's landmark 2003 album Hail to the Thief.

Co-created by Yorke, Hoggett and Jones, the production fuses theatre, music and movement, reimagining Shakespeare's tragedy through the lens of Radiohead's politically charged sixth album.

For the stage adaptation, Thom Yorke has reworked Hail to the Thief into a deconstructed score that illuminates Shakespeare's text rather than simply reproducing the album. The music is performed live on stage by musicians and actors, becoming an integral part of the storytelling and amplifying the play's themes of grief, paranoia, corruption and political unease.

Speaking about the project, the creative team explore how the album's themes resonate with Hamlet, creating striking parallels between Radiohead's exploration of power, fear and mistrust and Shakespeare's portrait of a kingdom consumed by suspicion and deception.

Following acclaimed sold-out runs in Manchester and Stratford-upon-Avon, Hamlet Hail to the Thief transfers to London's Barbican Theatre, where it runs from 31 October 2026 to 23 January 2027.

Mary Anne also hears from Maxine Peake and Riz Ahmed refelecting on their experiences of playing the role of Hamlet.

Produced by BBC Audio for BBC Radio 6 Music.