Bristol Old Vic and Altitude have announced their new stage to screen partnership, which will bring the theatre’s recent acclaimed stage production of Hamlet to cinema screens across the UK & Ireland for the first time from 6 April.

Coinciding with the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakepeare’s First Folio, Bristol Old Vic’s visceral production, directed by John Haidar, excavates the dark subconscious of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy in a contemporary setting, with rising star Billy Howle (The Serpent) in the title role, supported by a star-studded cast including Mirren Mack (The Nest) as Ophelia and award-winning stage and screen actress Niamh Cusack as Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude.

This ambitious collaboration marks Altitude’s first entry into the stage-to-screen arena and Bristol Old Vic’s first production to be conceived, staged and filmed with the intention of a cinema release, both enabling longevity and creating the opportunity for diverse audiences from across the UK & Ireland to engage with the stellar performances and acclaimed interpretation of Shakespeare’s work.

Filmed in 4K in front of a live audience, and with a new sound mix exclusively for cinema, the new adaptation allows audiences to get right up close to the action on stage, offering the best seat in the house at the beautiful 255-year-old playhouse. The production is presented in association with the BBC.

The cinema experience, which launches on 6 April, also offers an exclusive new Q&A for audiences to enjoy, featuring director John Haidar in conversation with Professor Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford and author of the Sunday Times bestseller This is Shakespeare.

Bristol Old Vic's Executive Director, Charlotte Geeves, said: “When Hamlet was first performed on our stage, it blew audiences away with its visceral, filmic quality. This bold, contemporary adaptation opened up Shakespeare’s most well-known play to a whole new generation and now, thanks to Bristol Old Vic On Screen we are able to ‘bottle’ this unique production in 4K cinema quality and share with people from across the UK and beyond. The opportunity to share our first digital theatre production to a cinema audience is only possible due to our new partnership with Altitude and their own innovative approach to filmed events.”

Tickets are on sale now here with further cinemas to be added in the coming weeks.