David Tennant to revive partnership with real skull for BBC's Hamlet

[oldironside]

The skull had starred in a stage run of the classic production last year after pianist Andre Tchaikowsky left his remains to the Royal Shakespeare Company in the hope it would be used on stage.

Now it is being used in a TV dramatisation of the RSC production to be screened this Christmas.

The boss of the RSC admitted that the company secretly used the skull during the play's London run, despite the company saying at the time it was to use a fake.

Tennant held the skull on stage during the famed ''Alas, poor Yorick'' scene for more than 20 performances at the Courtyard Theatre, in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The outgoing Doctor Who star was lauded for his performance in the production and it has now been filmed for BBC2.

Greg Doran, who directed the stage and TV versions said: ''Yes, Andre appears in the film - as in fact he did throughout both the Stratford and the London runs.''

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/6644720/David-Tennant-to-revive-partnership-with-real-skull-for-BBCs-Hamlet.html

And for anyone who's never been lucky enough to see the real scene, I offer you Olivier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JXwbQGX-m8