Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was first performed in 1966 at the Edinburgh Fringe.

It transferred to the National Theatre and then to the West End.It is a tragicomedy that follows the titular characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters from Shakespeares Hamlet, as they navigate the events of the play.

As the two characters wait in the wings, in a double act reminiscent of Vladimir and Estragon from Becketts Waiting for Godot, they meet the Tragedians a group of Travelling Players- and get caught up in the action of scenes from Hamlet.The play explores themes of fate, free will, and the nature of reality, and it is often seen as an example of the Theatre of the Absurd.