Out-of-work actors Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen came up with an idea while playing the online action game Grand Theft Auto (GTA): Would it be possible to perform a play within the virtual world of GTA, with the help of fellow gamers? Their choice falls on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which, like the game, is a universal story set in a violent world.
Protected by online pseudonyms, the pair assemble an eclectic mix of ardent gamers and professional actors. But is it possible to give a great performance when everyone involved is at constant risk of being shot? As they play, the cast becomes increasingly proficient at avoiding the hazards and starts seeing the great freedom they have, rather than the limitations. Why not stage a crucial scene on an airborne airship? Everything is possible in the GTA universe.
Grand Theft Hamlet is a unique experiment with an uncertain outcome, played out entirely online. Most of all the film demonstrates just how important multiplayer gaming is in many people’s lives. Yes, you can waste your time there, but you can also make friends and make your dreams come true.
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