Produced by Sam Mendes, The Motive and the Cue takes us back to 1964 when the hugely famous Richard Burton is preparing for Hamlet.

This play within a play focuses on the relationship between Burton and his director, one of the most successful Hamlets to have gone before, Sir John Gielgud, highlighting their differences in experience, age, sexuality, background, and professionalism. Can Gielgud help Burton find his Hamlet? Writer Jack Thorne’s skilful storytelling explores that question as we are taken behind the scenes into the rehearsal room, documentary style.

Mark Gattiss is a joy to watch. He portrays the wry Gielgud with a rapier wit and a regal air, masking a vulnerability and fear of having peaked too soon. Johnny Flynn is truly perfect as Burton. His accent and manner are so on the nose that it’s easy to believe you are witnessing actual rehearsal footage. He is flawless in his portrayal of the egotistical but insecure Burton as he peacocks around the stage.

The tussle between Burton and Gielgud is enthralling. They are opposites in so many ways, clashing, but with an underlying respect for one another: Gielgud gives a note, Burton doesn’t accept the note; Gielgud gives a speech, Burton gives a speech; Gielgud knows every line to Hamlet with no script, Burton still needs prompts. A dance unfolds as they navigate their way through the rehearsal process and their relationship, fighting their own battles whilst projecting these onto each other.

The play is punctuated with the relationship between Burton and his new wife, Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor, a wild tiger, is caged during Burton’s time preparing for this role, willingly turning down huge movie parts, and hiding away in a hotel room, supporting Burton to be his best Hamlet. She is ultimately the catalyst for Gielgud and Burton forging a way forward. Our Taylor, Tuppence Middleton, is classy and convincing in this role, though somewhat gentle in her smoulder.

In this theatre lover’s dream, we delve into what makes a play great. The title comes from Gielgud’s line, “the motive is the spine of a role, the intellect and the reason. The cue is the passion, the inner switch which ignites the heart”. There is so much heart in this play and it’s also laugh out loud funny, with Gattiss’ one liners landing perfectly each time. Shakespeare fans will not be disappointed as we are treated to a flurry of Hamlet snippets and facts, with the father issues in Hamlet neatly mirrored by Burton’s own situation.

As the play closes, we see why Burton and many thousands of other actors want to play Hamlet, as we learn whether the Burton/Gielgud version is indeed a success.

Lifting the curtain on the rehearsal room and witnessing the process, rather than watching the end product, makes this an absolute must see for all theatre lovers.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Cara Brazier

The Motive and the Cue plays at London’s Noel Coward Theatre until 23 March 2024, with tickets available here.