British actor Jude Law, seen Sept. 1, 2008, is to star in Hamlet on Broadway this fall. (Musadeq Sadeq/Associated Press)Jude Law will stalk the boards of Broadway as the Danish prince when his U.K. production of Hamlet comes to New York in September.
The Donmar Warehouse production, which has been well-received in London, will have a 12-week run at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York.
The last time Law acted on Broadway, in the 1995 play Indiscretions, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his work.
Law, a film actor known for roles in Sleuth, Alfie and Closer, is starring in Hamlet at Wyndham's Theater in London's West End through Aug. 22. He will briefly present the play in Elsinore, the Danish city that is the setting of the Shakespeare tragedy, before moving on to New York.
Most British critics have been approving of Law's interpretation of the depressed Hamlet.
"[Law] joins the modern pantheon of spellbinding sweet princes with a performance of rare vulnerability and emotional openness," Charles Spencer wrote in the Telegraph.
Variety's David Benedict called Law's Hamlet "riveting" and "thrillingly vital," saying he looks at ease on the stage.
Law shares the stage with Penelope Wilton as Gertrude and the sets are minimalist, with an emphasis on wintry backdrops.
Law's star power has sold out the West End run of the play, attracting many younger viewers to the theatre.
"And, even if they are drawn by the star power of Jude Law, they will get to see a swift, clear, well-staged version of Shakespeare's most exciting play," the Guardian said in its review.
Law will likely be joined in New York by a British cast that includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ophelia and Kevin R. McNally as Claudius.
Hamlet begins previews in New York Sept. 12, with an Oct. 6 opening.
With files from the Associated Press
