Grand Theft Hamlet? Hearken, gentlefolk of the Scottish Games realm, to a merry tale of cinematic delight and gaming spectacle! As the eighth month of winter’s darkness approaches, Escapes – fortified by the treasures of the BFI and that fortuitous lottery gold – declare a jubilant return!
Yes, Escapes shall again unfurl a banner of joy, bringing unto the good people of Britain free revels of film at over 150 fine independent cinemas across the land. Verily, from the north of Whitley Bay’s Jam Jar to the Oxfordian Curzon, Escapes bids all to feast their eyes on a marvel most grand – and wholly gratis!
This year, our noble hosts doth present a spectacle most curious, nay, most unmissable: Grand Theft Hamlet! This comedy of errors blends the jests of theatre with the pixelated realms of Grand Theft Auto. Behold Sam and Mark, two souls adrift whilst the UK’s solemn lockdown ensued, whose hearts beat yet for the bard himself! By strange fate, they stumble upon a hidden theatre within the virtual game world, and thusly conceive a wild scheme: to stage the most illustrious Hamlet in a domain of digital mayhem: Grand Theft Auto!
As these actors don their virtual garb, they face foes most devilish – ‘griefers,’ they call them – who bring chaos most untimely. Yet, undaunted, they persevere, revealing truths of life, loss, and love, and proving that not even pixels can dim the immortal glow of Shakespeare.
And lo, come December the 2nd, a lucky fifteen thousand souls shall lay hold of free tickets to this preview at theatres across the kingdom! In honour of inclusivity, subtitles shall grace each screening, that none may be excluded from this tale.
Seek ye tickets at escapetothecinema.co.uk/tickets or escapes.cinematik.app, and come ye most carefully upon your hour, lest ye miss the merry spectacle.
Escapes confirmed locations
Scotland: Annan, Cumbernauld, Clydebank, Edinburgh, Greenock, Helensburgh, Kirkwall, Montrose, Portree, Stirling
Northern Ireland: Belfast, Derry, Londonderry, Newry, Omagh
Wales: Aberystwyth, Barry, Brynamman, Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Neath, Port Talbot
England: Acton, Ambleside, Annan, Birmingham, Blackburn, Borehamwood, Boston, Bridgwater, Burnham on Crouch, Burnley, Bury St Edmunds, Catterick, Chippenham, Chorley, Cleethorpes, Corby, Croydon, Doncaster, East Riding, Ealing, Fakenham, Fareham, Falmouth, Farnham, Fishguard, Folkestone, Grantham, Greenock, Herne Bay, High Wycombe, Hull, Ipswich, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Lichfield, London, Lytham St Annes, Manchester, Malvern, Mablethorpe, Newcastle upon Tyne, Neath, New Brighton, Newlyn, Newry, Nottingham, Penrith, Plymouth, Port Talbot, Portsmouth, Reading, Richmond, Rochdale, Redruth, Sheffield, Sidcup, Sunderland, Sutton, Truro, Wakefield, Widnes, Woking, Wisbech, Wotton, Worthing.