In the raw musical performance Hamlet and Ophelia, the punk rock legends, lovers and junkies Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen are cast as Hamlet and Ophelia in an experimental film. Shooting this cult film becomes increasingly difficult as the line between reality, film set and drug trip blurs. Are Sid and Nancy visionaries? Completely mad? Or are they just trying to make money from their self-created tragic punk rock image?

MATEUSZ STANIAK ABOUT HAMLET AND OPHELIA

'Sid Vicious was said to be an idiot and Hamlet is often labeled as crazy. What fascinates me is how a truth arises. Did Sid kill Nancy in their room at the Chelsea Hotel? Was it Sid's mother who gave him a fatal overdose? And how does the young death of cult heroes help to maintain their image? What truth do we construct of ourselves? If we tell the same story long enough, will it become our reality? Sid's heroin addiction is criticised, but is it different from drug use today? Every generation pursues pleasure. When does hedonism turn into self-destruction? If we can't live in reality, where are we going to flee to?'

After the success of previous collaborations, Toneelschuur Productions and ITA are once again joining forces for a co-production in the context of the joint talent development process. Hamlet and Ophelia can be seen exclusively in de Schuur in Haarlem from the end of May 2023.