Every English lit major's wildest fantasy just came true, as Thom Yorke will be working on an adaptation of Shakespeare's play Hamlet soundtracked by Radiohead's 2003 album Hail to the Thief.
The not-very-creatively-titled Hamlet Hail to the Thief has some big names involved: it's been directed by Tony Award-winner Christine Jones (who won Best Scenic Design in a Musical for American Idiot) and Olivier Award-winner Steven Hoggett (whose Tony nominations include the Glen Hansard musical Once).
According to Deadline, the show's producers say that Radiohead's music is a key part of the narrative, as Shakespeare's text and HTTT "illuminate one another." Yorke "personally reworked" the play, with the music set to be performed live by 20 musicians and actors.
Thematically, both play and album concern political corruption and the things people will do to assume power — the former concerning regicide among members of the Danish royal family, and the latter criticizing President George W. Bush.
Currently, all of the performances are in the UK. It will open at Aviva Studios in Manchester from April 27 to May 18, 2025. It will then move to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford.