The Chamberlain’s Men

The late 16th Century was a time of peace in Queen Elizabeth’s England. Nearing the end of her sixty year reign, the Monarch, last of the Tudor line, daughter of King Henry VIII, was a “lady of letters.” This was a time of ‘guilds’, precursors to ‘unions’, and troupes of travelling players who wandered the country seeking patronage and a friendly house in which to ply their trade. Her Majesty’s favourite troupe was called The Chamberlain’s Men, headed by her favourite poet, the Bard of Statford, Actor/Manager William Shakespeare. As a result of Her favour, they didn’t have to travel much and enjoyed the political cover such a reception provided, which resulted in multi-layered work such as the brilliant play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Part political treatise, cultural manifesto and family drama, this story of war both external and internal set a new standard in the still-nascent world of English Literature, and did much to change the direction of arts and letters in Western Civilization.

Follow the links below to view bios on our Chamberlain’s Players:

Speak the Speech

I felt butterflies in my stomach just watching it. If Hamlet urges his actors to "hold a mirror up to nature", you hold a mirror up to the mirror itself, doing what the French call 'mise en abime', or loosely: 'looking into the abyss of infinite reflections'

Alex Rotaru, Director of Shakespeare High

Elvis Mitchell: You're Wilfrid Hyde-White's son! Where's your book? Alex H-W: It's right here. (Gave him the DVD)

Man, you did a Hamlet documentary! Wow, how can I see it? -- Park City, UT Sundance 2013

Elvis Mitchell

Hamlet will never be the same for me. A moving production, the students talked about it all the way home on the bus. Thank you for sharing it with us.-----------------------

Barbara Shannon, Principal Synergy Kinetic Academy (Middle School)

I enjoyed it hugely

Sir Derek Jacobi

I want to know more! About Hamlet, the character. The play. You. How did you do this? Gosh, I want to know more about me...you make me want to tell my story.

--University of Notre Dame Senior Humanities Student

Thanks for your jaw-droppingly ambitious and often brilliant film. It was such an exquisite pleasure to learn something new about the play of all plays through your eyes. The pressure cooker in which you put yourself and your fellow actors was truly an ultimate test -

Alex Rotaru, Director of Shakespeare High

Alex Hyde-White's Three Days (of Hamlet) is an unusual, personal and multilayered journey into the process of creation when one has to rely on one's instinct and guts in a crazy 3-day jump into the thicket of Hamlet".

-- Lech Majewski Artist and Director "The Mill and the Cross"

Three Days of Hamlet” strips away all the showbiz bureaucracy to convey the sheer, unfettered joy of performing these beautiful words. -- Boca Mag

John Thomason