The concept that most of Shakespeare's stories are simply universal tales set in a specific time and place but can be re-conceived to another set of circumstances is key to the way Directors approach the setting of his plays. Usually however the text is left alone, bar minor tweaks and a few cuts. I have seen Hamlet on stage where they have moved the setting for the play to, for example, a central African republic, but never reimagined like this. Kuwaiti-British writer Sulayman Al-Bassam’s wrote an award winning version of Hamlet, translated from Denmark to a modern Arab state in the throes of war with a neighbour, with a corrupt dictator and the risk of civil war. Rebellion against the usurping Claudius's régime takes the form of adopting strict Islamism. It was first performed at the Edinburgh Festival after 9/11. The basic plot remains the same, however Ophelia becomes a suicide bomber rather than drowning herself, Polonius is a nasty and manipulative henchman for his master, Claudius, and the collective decision is taken to ship an increasingly mad Hamlet off to London rather than back to University. The "play within a play" is alluded to in a "celebration party" ahead of Hamlet's banishment, and there is no graveyard scene! There is also the addition of an international arms dealer who acts as provocation to the other characters. It worked well and the translation of the story to an alternative corrupt regime was well done. Cast included Tommy Sim’aan, Sirine Saba, Kevork Malikyan, Paul Chahidi, Sulin Hasso, Zed Josef, Ewan Bailey and Samuel James. Written by Sulayman al-Bassam. Directed by Abigail le Fleming. First broadcast 17 March 2024.