Stripped-down but satisfying Hamlet

NAEEN Hayat, the lead actor in Shakespeare's Globe touring production, gives the most unusual interpretation of Hamlet this reviewer has ever seen. He renders the prince as a mumbling, neurotic, nail-biting, high-fiving, fourth-wall-breaking mess of man who is probably better off not ascending to the throne of Denmark.

To one's surprise, the performance works rather well, showing the extraordinary ways in which William Shakespeare's words can bend and change in the mouth of a gifted actor.

Hayat's unpredictable presence also seems to keep some of his fellow actors on their toes, as they feed off his manic energy and deliver off-beat moments of their own.