The Royal Shakespeare Company Tours With ‘Hamnet’

Based on a sensational novel that was also adapted into a 2025 movie, this play examines the story behind ‘Hamlet’ and Shakespeare’s forgotten only son.

Judith (Saffron Dey) and her brother Hamnet (Ajani Cabey) in "Hamnet." Kyle Flubacker

CHICAGO—So little is known about Shakespeare’s private life that even speculation about what happened behind the scenes is heralded. That may explain why “Hamnet,” originally a 2020 novel by Maggie O’Farrell, was adapted for the stage in 2023 and then again into a movie in 2025. The stage adaptation, now an enthralling production by Lolita Chakrabarti, is starting a U.S. tour by the Royal Shakespeare Company in partnership with Neal Street Productions at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

“Hamnet” follows the life of William Shakespeare (1564–1616) and his wife, Agnes. It offers a fictional account of how the tragic early death of their son Hamnet influenced the tragedy of “Hamlet,” which many consider the greatest of all Shakespeare’s works.

A Compelling Production

The narrative begins in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Shakespeare, here called Will (Rory Alexander, compelling as the young Shakespeare), falls in love with Agnes Hathway (Kemi-Bo Jacobs, in an exceptional portrayal). In the 16th century, the “g” wasn’t pronounced, so her name sounds like Anne.