Changes

Claudius is infuriated by the murder of Polonius and demands Hamlet should show them where he hid the body, but the (seemingly) demented Hamlet refuses. Hamlet is exiled to England, along with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Claudius provides the two with a letter to the English King, stating that Hamlet must be executed on arrival. Meanwhile, Ophelia has descended into total madness over the death of her father. Laertes returns to discover the shocking state of his sister, and demands revenge.  

Claudius is infuriated by the murder of Polonius and demands Hamlet should show them where he hid the body, but the (seemingly) demented Hamlet refuses. Hamlet is exiled to England, along with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Claudius provides the two with a letter to the English King, stating that Hamlet must be executed on arrival. Meanwhile, Ophelia has descended into total madness over the death of her father. Laertes returns to discover the shocking state of his sister, and demands revenge.  

Time has moved on, and Hamlet is back in Denmark. Times are unstable, and an invasion, lead by Fortinbras is imminent. He greets Horatio, and explains how his voyage was interrupted by pirates. Whilst fighting them off, he discovered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s letter. He replaced it with an alternative letter which stated the two should be executed on arrival instead. He then made his way back to Denmark in secret. As they chat, they oversee two drunken grave diggers in a freshly dug plot. Hamlet exchanges jokes with the two, whilst they exhume the remains of the old court Jester, Yorick. Hamlet grows nostalgic on seeing the bones of the old entertainer ("Alas, poor Yorick / I knew him, Horatio"). Meanwhile, a funeral procession arrives, with Claudius, Gertude and Laertes present. Hamlet discovers the body is that of Ophelia. She drowned, possibly in an act of suicide. Distraught, Hamlet surprises the funeral procession with his presence, and leaps into the grave to embrace her. Laertes, infuriated that Hamlet is disrupting his sister's burial, brawls with him. The two men are forced apart, and Claudius proclaims that the two should settle their dispute properly; by duel.  

Time has moved on, and Hamlet is back in Denmark. Times are unstable, and an invasion, lead by Fortinbras is imminent. He greets Horatio, and explains how his voyage was interrupted by pirates. Whilst fighting them off, he discovered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's letter. He replaced it with an alternative letter which stated the two should be executed on arrival instead. He then made his way back to Denmark in secret. As they chat, they oversee two drunken grave diggers in a freshly dug plot. Hamlet exchanges jokes with the two, whilst they exhume the remains of the old court Jester, Yorick. Hamlet grows nostalgic on seeing the bones of the old entertainer ("Alas, poor Yorick / I knew him, Horatio"). Meanwhile, a funeral procession arrives, with Claudius, Gertude and Laertes present. Hamlet discovers the body is that of Ophelia. She drowned, possibly in an act of suicide. Distraught, Hamlet surprises the funeral procession with his presence, and leaps into the grave to embrace her. Laertes, infuriated that Hamlet is disrupting his sister's burial, brawls with him. The two men are forced apart, and Claudius proclaims that the two should settle their dispute properly; by duel.  

On the day of the duel, Claudius plots with Laertes to rig the fight. He provides Laertes with a poisoned foil, and places more poison in Hamlet's drink. The two men begin to duel. Hamlet proves to be the superior swordsman, but is eventually slashed by Laertes in between boughts. Hamlet loses his temper and scuffles with Laertes. The two swords are swapped in the confusion, and Hamlet pierces Laertes with the poison blade. Gertrude, to Claudius's horror, drinks from Hamlet's goblet, and is poisoned. Laertes, now dying, reveals Claudius' scheme. Gertrude dies. Hamlet flies into a rage, stabs claudius, and forces him to drink the last of the poison. Claudius dies. Hamlet dies from his wound. Horatio is the only one left. Fortinbras and his invasion force enter the court and see a pile of bodies before them. A messenger proclaims that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. Fortinbras proclaims himself ruler, offering a possible glimmer of future stability.

On the day of the duel, Claudius plots with Laertes to rig the fight. He provides Laertes with a poisoned foil, and places more poison in Hamlet's drink. The two men begin to duel. Hamlet proves to be the superior swordsman, but is eventually slashed by Laertes in between boughts. Hamlet loses his temper and scuffles with Laertes. The two swords are swapped in the confusion, and Hamlet pierces Laertes with the poison blade. Gertrude, to Claudius's horror, drinks from Hamlet's goblet, and is poisoned. Laertes, now dying, reveals Claudius' scheme. Gertrude dies. Hamlet flies into a rage, stabs claudius, and forces him to drink the last of the poison. Claudius dies. Hamlet dies from his wound. Horatio is the only one left. Fortinbras and his invasion force enter the court and see a pile of bodies before them. A messenger proclaims that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. Fortinbras proclaims himself ruler, offering a possible glimmer of future stability.