Productions of Hamlet:

1890. Hamlet. Frank R. Benson's production of Hamlet opened at The Globe Theatre (London) on March 6 and ran until April 18. Benson played Hamlet, and the other principal players were Charles Cartwright as Claudius, George F. Black as Polonius, Herbert Ross as Laertes, Otho Stuart as Horatio, Stephen Phillips as the ghost, Ada Ferrar as Gertrude, and Mrs. F. R. Benson as Ophelia (Wearing, 1890-99, I, 14).

1891. Wilson Barrett's production of Hamlet with him in the title role ran at the Olympic Theatre (London) for ten performances from April 13 until April 18; the play was revived in May for three performances. The cast included Austin Melford as Claudius, Louise Moodie as Gertrude, Winifred Emery as Ophelia, Stafford Smith as Polonius, H. Cooper Cliffe as Laertes, and S. Miller Kent as Horatio (Wearing, 1890-99, I, 111).

1892. Herbert Beerbohm Tree played Hamlet in his production of the play at the Haymarket Theatre (London) for 116 performances (January 21 until May 28). F. H. Macklin appeared as Claudius, Henry Kemble as Polonius, Arthur Dacre as Horatio, and Fred Terry and Robb Harwood as Laertes. Mrs. H. B. Tree played Ophelia and Rose Leclercq Gertrude (Wearing, 1890-99, I, 187-8).

1897. Ben Greet directed an independent theatre company's production of Hamlet at the Olympic Theatre (London); it opened on May 10 and ran for eighteen performances. Hamlet was played by Nutcombe Gould, Ophelia by Lily Hanbury, Claudius by Frank Dyall, Gertrude by Mary Allestree, Ben Greet as Polonius, George R. Foss as Laertes, and Alfred Kendrick as Horatio (Wearing, 1890-99, II, 655). 1897. Herbert Beerbohm Tree played Hamlet in his production of the play at Her Majesty's Theatre (London) in two performances in August. Mrs. Tree played Ophelia, and the other principle parts were played by S. A. Cookson as Claudius, E. Holman Clark as Polonius, and Frances Ivor as Gertrude (Wearing, 1890-99, II, 684).

1897. Johnston Forbes-Robertson played Hamlet and Mrs. Patrick Campbell played Ophelia in Forbes-Robertson's production of Hamlet at the Lyceum Theatre (London); the play opened on September 11 and ran for 86 performances. Claudius was played by H. Cooper Cliffe, Gertrude by Charlotte Granville, Polonius by J. H. Barnes, Horatio by Harrison Hunter, and Laertes by Bernard Gould (Wearing, 1890-99, II, 687-8).

1898. Johnston Forbes-Robertson revived his production of Hamlet at the Lyceum Theatre (London) on November 7 for fifteen performances. He played Hamlet and Mrs. Patrick Campbell played Ophelia. Others in the cast were Bernard Gould as Cl audius, Cecil Cromwell as Gertrude, Robert Taber as Laertes, Berte Thomas as Horatio, and J. H. Barnes as Polonius (Wearing, 1890-99, II, 770).

1899. Sarah Bernhardt performed her celebrated Hamlet at the Adelphi Theatre (London); the play opened on June 12 and Bernhardt gave 16 performances. The translation and adaptation of Hamlet was by Eugene Morand and Marchel Schwob (Wearing, 1890-99, II, 813-14).

1899. Wilson Barrett played Hamlet at the Lyceum Theatre (London) from December 12 to the 16. Ophelia was played by Maud Jeffries, Claudius by J. Carter Edwards, Gertrude by Alida Cortelyou, Polonius by Horace Hodges, and Horatio by Basil Gill (Wearing, 1890-99, II, 846).

1900. On March 8, Johnston Forbes-Robertson played Hamlet for the first time in New York City at the Knickerbocker Theatre; Gertrude Elliott played Ophelia (Loney, I, 3).

1900. Frank Benson's troupe performed Hamlet 6 times in March at the Lyceum Theatre (London). Benson played Hamlet and his wife Constance Benson played Ophelia. Other regulars in his company were Oscar Asche as Claudius, Ada Ferrar as Gertrude, and Frank Rodney as Laertes. The other plays in that season at the Lyceum were Henry V, Twelfth Night, and Antony and Cleopatra. An interesting note is that a young Isadora Duncan played one of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Wearing, 1900-09, I, 12, and Loney, I, 3 ).

1900. E. H. Sothern played Hamlet for the first time in New York City at the Garden Theatre on September 17. Virginia Harned played Ophelia (Loney, i, 4).

1901. Frank Benson's abridged version of Hamlet played at the Comedy Theatre (London) for ten performances (March 27-April 8). Benson played Hamlet, his wife Constance Benson played Ophelia, Oscar Asche Claudius. The cast also included Elsie Chester as Gertrude, Alfred Brydone as Polonius, and Frank Rodney as Laertes (Wearing, 1901-9, I, 81).

1902. Johnston Forbes-Robertson played Hamlet in his production of the play in July at the Lyric Theatre in London. Ophelia was played by Gertrude Elliott (Wearing, 1901-9, I, 173).

1905. On April 4 Henry Irving opened in Otho Stuart's revival of Hamlet at the Adelphi Theatre, London. On July 4 Frank Benson moved into the Adelphi for The Comedy of Errors; Ortho Stuart then returned to the Adelphi with a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (Loney, I, 27).

1909. On February 8, H. B. Irving revived Hamlet at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London. His wife Dorothea Baird played Ophelia (Loney, I, 49).

1909. On March 13, Matheson Lang played Hamlet in a revival at the Lyceum Theatre, London (Loney, I, 49).

1909. The London Shakespeare Festival presented by Herbert Beerbohm Tree's ensemble, began June 21 at His Majesty's Theatre, London. The festival ran for two weeks with The Merry Wives of Windsor, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Richard III, The Merchant of Venice, and Macbeth (Loney, I.50).

1910. Starting on February 7, E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe play for six weeks at the Academy of Music, New York City. Included in the repertory are Hamlet, As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, and Twelfth Night (Loney, I, 53).

1910. Beginning on March 28, several companies presented a London Shakespeare Festival at His Majesty's Theatre. Herbert Beerbohm Tree's company played The Merry Wives of Windsor, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and Hamlet. Norman Mckinnel presented King Lear and The Merchant of Venice; Arthur Bourchier and his company came next with The Merchant of Venice. H. B. Irving played Hamlet, and Frank Benson's "Bensonians" followed with the Taming of the Shrew and Coriolanus. Poel's Elizabethan Stage Society gave a performance--in the "original" sixteenth-century style--of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Lewis Waller revived his Henry V, and Tree returned to close the Festival with The Merchant of Venice and Richard II (Loney, I, 54). 1910. On December 5 E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe opened a season of Shakespearean repertory at the Broadway Theatre, New York City. Among the plays were Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and As You Like It (Loney, I, 54).

1911. E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe opened their season at the Broadway Theatre, New York City. In the repertory were Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, and Twelfth Night. They returned on November 20 and added As You Like it to the list (Loney, I, 158).

1911. On July 22 Stratford's second summer season began; this is the year that Baliol Holloway debuted with the Bensonians. The plays performed are A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V, Richard II, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, and the Tempest (Loney, I, 159).

1912. The annual Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespeare Festival opened this year on April 22 with The Merchant of Venice; Frank Benson's company also performed Henry V, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Coriolanus, The Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and Richard III (Loney, I, 63).

1913. Frank Benson opened the Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespeare Festival with Richard II; the troupe also performed Henry IV, Part 2, Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and Hamlet this season. Added attractions were William Poel's production of Troilus and Cressida, with Edith Evans and Hermione Gingold, as well as Poel himself as the performers, and a presentation of Henry V by the students of Stratford's King Edward VI Grammar School (Loney, I, 68).

1913. Frank Benson's summer season of Shakespeare's plays opened on August 2 with The Merchant of Venice; other plays performed that season were As You Like It, Hamlet, King John, Richard II, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night, and Henry IV, Part 2 (Loney, I, 68).

1914. William Poel revived his production of Hamlet at the Little Theatre in London; Esme Percy played Hamlet (Loney, I, 72). 1914. Another annual Stratford Shakespeare Festival opened with A Midsummer Night's Dream; Frank Benson's company was still on tour in the United States, so Patrick Kirwan directed this year's offerings: Much Ado About Nothing, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, As You Like It, and The Merchant of Venice (Loney, I, 72). 1914. Frank Benson returned from the United States to direct the Stratford Summer Festival. He opened the four-week festval with Much Ado About Nothing. The company also presented Hamlet, Richard II, Henry IV, Part 2, Henry V, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, and Romeo and Juliet (Loney, I, 73). 1914. On October 5, the Old Vic Theatre, London, under the management of Lilian Baylis, mounted a production of The Taming of the Shrew. Additionally, the following plays were performed for the first time in 1914 at the Old Vic: Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Baylis will by 1923 have produced the entire Shakespeare canon of thirty-seven plays (Loney, I, 73).