Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2w, 14m

Acclaimed as a modern dramatic masterpiece, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is the fabulously inventive tale of Hamlet as told from the worm's-eye view of the bewildered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters in Shakespeare's play.

Image: 2017 OId Vic Production (Tristram Kenton)

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 14m
  • Suggested Use
    • Cutting Approved for Competition
    • UIL Approved
    • Competition or Audition Material
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 1968 Tony Award for Best Play
    Winner! 1968 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play

Details

Summary

Acclaimed as a modern dramatic masterpiece, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is the fabulously inventive tale of Hamlet as told from the worm's-eye view of the bewildered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters in Shakespeare's play. In Tom Stoppard's best-known work, this Shakespearean Laurel and Hardy finally get a chance to take the lead role, but do so in a world where echoes of Waiting for Godot resound, where reality and illusion intermix, and where fate leads our two heroes to a tragic but inevitable end.

History
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead was first staged at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on August 24, 1966, by the Oxford Theatre Group. It premiered in London at the Old Vic on April 11, 1967.
Cast Attributes

    Media

    “A stimulating, funny, imaginative comedy.” – The New York Daily News

    “Very funny, very brilliant, very chilling; it has the dust of thought about it and the particles glitter excitingly in the theatrical air.” – The New York Times

    Photos

    • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

      Image: 2017 OId Vic Production (Tristram Kenton)

    Licensing & Materials

    • Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
      This title may have restrictions in place for London based productions. Please submit a licence request to confirm specific availability.

    Scripts

    Available Formats:

    Add-Ons

    Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

    Authors

    Tom Stoppard

    Tom Stoppard

    Tom Stoppard’s most recent play, Leopoldstadt, opened at Wyndham's Theatre in 2020 and transferred to Broadway in 2022. It won multiple Awards, including an Olivier Award and Tony Award for Best Play. He wrote his first play, Enter a Free Man, whilst working as a journalist i ...

    View full profile

    Now Playing