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Grand Theft Hamlet

(Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, 2024)

Midwest Premiere

Info & Tickets

Still from Grand Theft Auto, two characters stand on a limo, an alien is in the air, one man holds a gun.

Oct 20, 2024 3:15 PM

Film/Video Theater

$8 members and adults 55 and over
$10 general public
$5 students

ACCESSIBILITY
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you have questions about accessibility or require an accommodation such as CART captioning or ASL interpretation to participate in this event, please email accessibility@wexarts.org or call (614) 688-3890. Requests made by two weeks in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the Wexner Center for the Arts will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

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Two stage actors attempt to stage a performance of Hamlet entirely within the notoriously violent world of Grand Theft Auto—what could go wrong?

January 2021. The UK is in its third lockdown and all entertainment venues remain closed. For stage actors Sam and Mark, the future looks bleak. As the pandemic drags on, Mark—single and childless—is increasingly isolated, while Sam panics about how he is going to support his young family. They spend their days in the online digital world of Grand Theft Auto, and when they stumble across a theater, they suddenly have an idea to mount a full production of Hamlet within the game. This film charts their ridiculous, hilarious, and moving adventure as they battle violent gamers who are intentionally trying to disrupt the performance. Together, they discover surprising truths about life, friendship, and the enduring power of Shakespeare. Winner of the 2024 South by Southwest Jury Award for Best Feature Documentary. (89 mins., DCP)

See the complete Unorthodocs 2024 lineup.

IMAGE CAPTION
Grand Theft Hamlet, courtesy of Altitude Films.

"Hilarious and unexpectedly poignant."

David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Tag(s)

Unorthodocs 2024 is part of the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial: backstories.

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
National Endowment for the Arts
Ohio Humanities

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Greater Columbus Arts Council 
The Wexner Family
Institute of Museum and Library Services 
Mellon Foundation
Every Page Foundation
Ohio Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts
CampusParc
Nationwide Foundation
Ohio State’s Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme
The Columbus Foundation
Axium Packaging

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Ohio State Energy Partners
Ohio History Fund/Ohio History Connection
David Crane and Elizabeth Dang
Melissa Gilliam and William Grobman
Rebecca Perry Damsen and Ben Towle