How three friends pulled off a production of 'Hamlet' inside Grand Theft Auto
At the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, two actors decided to alleviate their boredom and put on a production of 'Hamlet' entirely inside the online world of the Grand Theft Auto V video game.
Four years later, their ambitious attempt is being broadcast to the world in a new documentary titled 'Grand Theft Hamlet,' which is being released on the streaming service Mubi on Friday. (It was released in select theaters in the U.K. and Ireland in December, and made the rounds at various film festivals last year.)
The project, which began filming in 2021, was created by Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen, three U.K.-based friends who said they were inspired by how alive the world of Grand Theft Auto felt at a time when everything in the world was more closed off due to the pandemic.
The extremely popular GTA franchise — which launched in 1997 — is an action-adventure video game series that follows players driving around fictional cities to complete missions. Shakespeare's 'Hamlet,' which has been reimagined and adapted across mediums for hundreds of years, is a tragedy that follows the prince of Denmark, who is advised by the ghost of his father, the former king, to avenge his murder.
The two cultural staples, coupled together, became what the project creators described as the perfect escapism during the global pandemic.
(Rockstar Games, the company behind the game, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the 'Hamlet' crossover.)
Crane and Oosterveen are actors by trade, and Grylls (who is married to Crane) is a documentary filmmaker.
With theater, 'because it's live, anything can happen,' said Crane, who starred in the 'Hamlet'/GTA crossover as the play's titular character. 'You can't have complete control over it. And you get that same sense in online games as well. That's what's the fun of it.'
The group's play within a game — and subsequent documentary about the making of their production — joins a small list of other movies and shows that have been made inside of video games, including the popular Halo-based 'Red vs. Blue' from Rooster Teeth. Setting a production within a video game has been lauded by fans as an innovative way to merge mediums.
'Grand Theft Hamlet' was filmed and takes place entirely in the world of the nearly 12-year-old video game. To pull off the endeavor, Grylls, Crane and Oosterveen first set out to cast other gamers to occupy the world within a world, putting out a notice on GTA V's in-world social media. Next, they tried to find a location in the game where they would stage the show.
As time went on, they tried to get national theaters to watch the performance but were met with little enthusiasm. Throughout it all, they encountered repeated setbacks like constantly fighting with other players. At one point, a crucial member of the cast dropped out, causing a brief rift between Crane and Oosterveen as they attempted to salvage the show.
But through it all, the group discovered 'surprising truths about life, friendship and the enduring power of Shakespeare,' according to a post on the film ' s Instagram page promoting the project.
When Grylls and Crane finally pulled together the 'Hamlet' performance within GTA V, they livestreamed it on Twitch and YouTube in July 2022.
At the time it was streamed, the crew was excited to see dozens of viewers tune in. Fans online appeared charmed by the scrappy cast of characters who were hell-bent on finishing the Shakespearean work.
Now, with their film's expanded distribution, the trio behind the project said they are eager for more people to know of their efforts.
'I would say that this film is also a statement about how important it is not to be perfectionist in a way,' Grylls said. 'We are obsessed with creating perfect films, perfect pieces of theater, perfect pieces of media and making ourselves look perfect as well. And it's rubbish.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
STV News
12 hours ago
- STV News
Boom or Bust: Could this new Scottish video game be the next Grand Theft Auto?
A Scottish video game hailed by some as the next Grand Theft Auto is set for a release on Tuesday, but the build-up to its launch has been marred by controversy and lack of clarity. MindsEye is an ambitious big-budget single-player title developed by Edinburgh-based Build A Rocket Boy studio. Headed by a former GTA producer, Leslie Benzies, the studio's upcoming maiden title has created a buzz on both the local and international gaming scenes, in no small part due to the scope of ambition they have set out for their game. But recently the project has been attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. Last month, a group of journalists and content creators were given access to a limited preview of the game. Their reaction? Less than positive. Some of those given access to the preview went as far as to call on the developers to postpone the game and use the time to fix and polish it into a finished product. The overwhelmingly negative reaction has made the studio double down on confidence in their title, with Build A Rocket Boy's co-CEO, Mark Gerhard, claiming that people are being paid to 'trash the game' before it launches. 'There is a concerted effort by some people that don't want to see Leslie (Benzies) or Build A Rocket Boy to be successful that are making a concerted effort to trash the game and the studio,' Gerhard said. 'It's pretty easy to see the bots and the repeated replies to any content that we put out.' If the negative reaction, be it genuine or paid for, was not enough for the studio to deal with, two executives have left it just a week before the game's release. As expected, the departure of their chief legal officer and chief financial officer did nothing to help alleviate the pressure piling up on the studio, with questions popping up about whether they would be leaving if they genuinely believed MindsEye is going to be successful. And while it's entirely possible their departure has nothing to do with the game's potential fortunes, it only adds wind to the rumour mill that has been with the project for a while. The lack of clarity seems to stem from a relative radio silence about the project from the get-go. Before AI became the new buzzword, everyone was talking about the metaverse. MindsEye was initially described as an 'experience' taking place within one such metaverse, the Everywhere platform that was supposed to rival the likes of Fortnite and Roblox. Apart from that, very little is known about it, with the platform seemingly falling off the radar while the studio focuses on MindsEye. However, one cannot say that here, Build A Rocket Boy have done a much better job explaining exactly what the game is really about. That leaves gamers wondering what it actually is that they may be buying come Tuesday. Build A Rocket Buy Players take on the role of a former soldier, Jacob Diaz. For the record, MindsEye is billed as a linear, narrative-driven, single-player third-person shooter set in a future where artificial intelligence and human greed bring Earth to the brink of collapse. From trailers, the game gives an impression of something between Grand Theft Auto V and Cyberpunk 2077, with players taking on the role of a former soldier, Jacob Diaz. For their part, the studio have never tried to position MindsEye as a GTA competitor, but instead aim to create a unique title, something that has not been seen before. Whether they have been successful in pitching that to the players is up for debate. In a recent interview for Leslie Benzies has opened up on their vision for MindsEye and beyond. One of the key takeaways from it is that the game should act as a gateway into a much larger 'epic universe'. For the next ten years, the studio plans to evolve the game through regular content updates, ranging from standalone ones, like races, with others serving the larger narrative. 'Once players have experienced the full ten-year arc, they'll understand the shape and scope of the MindsEye universe,' Benzies explained. User-generated content will also have a big role to play, with players being able to create their own levels, races and missions via tools called and and share them with others. Those tools were originally part of the aforementioned Everywhere project; what it means for the project itself is unclear, but Benzies insisted that all will become clear 'very soon'. What's not as clear is why the studio decided to wait until a few weeks before launch to reveal those, arguably crucial, details. Build A Rocket Buy MindsEye is billed as a linear, narrative-driven, single-player third-person shooter. Unclarity and controversy aside, there is every chance MindsEye will turn out to be a great game. Those in the industry believe the fact that the title attracted perhaps the most funding out of all the Scottish video game projects ever and the amount of talent working on the game should ensure a high level of quality. Should MindsEye not be in tip-top shape upon its release, Build A Rocket Buy can take slight comfort in the knowledge that other games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 or No Man's Sky, managed to move past 'disastrous' launches and turn their fortunes around. A success would undoubtedly mean another boost in prestige for the local video game industry, but should the game prove to be less impressive, those in the sector believe it's robust enough for its reputation not to be damaged. Players won't have to wait long to decide whether MindsEye is a boom or bust. The game releases on Tuesday, June 10, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Evening Standard
3 days ago
- Evening Standard
‘Lord's Prayer better recognised than national anthem, Churchill or Shakespeare'
When it came to other famous lines from history, 'To be or not to be' from Shakespeare's Hamlet play was recognised by just under three-quarters (73%) of respondents, while fewer than two thirds (63%) correctly matched the lines 'happy and glorious, long to reign over us' as being from Britain's national anthem, God Save The King.
The National
5 days ago
- The National
'GTA Paisley' game is capturing imaginations
Richard Gellalty was blown away when a video of gameplay posted by his girlfriend, the musician Linzi Clark, went viral on TikTok, receiving more than 30k likes and over 1000 comments. The clip showed a man in a hi-vis jacket running around a deserted Neilston Road at night in the pouring rain, to an atmospheric and ambient soundtrack. Many of those commenting celebrated similarities with the iconic Grand Theft Auto series, created in Dundee and Edinburgh by Rockstar Games, but set in fictional versions of cities in the United States. In the finished version the graphic designer says that gamers will be able to use 'a mouse/keyboard or controller to freely run around and interact' with characters and objects in order to uncover mysteries surrounding the town. Whether the project can become a playable third person game by next year depends on funding. At the time of writing, £3623 has been pledged through crowdfunding. Another £8377 is required by June 11 for the 34-year-old to receive any of the money, as Kickstarter funding is 'all or nothing'. Gellalty, who is known professionally as Bovine, needs help from fans to make the project a reality. Haddows features in the game (Image: Bovine) 'Anyone interested can share the Kickstarter link and encourage others to share it," he said. "The priority is getting as many people seeing the project and making it easy for them to decide if they like it enough to donate.' The self-taught developer learned how to use graphics and game software programs like Blender, Unreal Engine and GIMP in order to recreate his hometown of Paisley. This time-consuming task involves creating an entire 3D world with characters, soundtrack, story and puzzle development. Bovine says that the exterior or interior of one building 'starts to look acceptable with a few days' work, acceptable being white cubes that loosely resemble a building, and within a week it's mostly there.' READ MORE: Glasgow arcade fights anxiety with calm games and quiet sessions The artist has confirmed that the game's name will be 'Crystal Garden' after the much loved restaurant on Neilston Road. The takeaway will feature as a sanctuary for the main playable character, who his creator describes as 'a builder putting up high flats by himself, in the rain no less'. Further details on the story and character interaction are Kickstarter-dependent. Bovine wants to devote time to writing dialogue and would like to source local talent for voice acting, saying: 'It's a balance but I think it would add a lot to it if done right'. Different opportunities for involvement in the game's final form are accessible for those who donate. For example, £80 can get supporters a short clip of their voice featured as a response when the character uses a buzzer entry system. While it will need to be something that works in the game, Bovine says that the person speaking will have creative control of what they say 'within reason". (Image: Bovine) Bovine says that many have reacted positively online to the game being set in the 2000s. He believes that 3D worlds can trigger nostalgia more effectively than films, images and music due to the 'added interactive element' and that he'd 'like to show the game to people who know the area but have lost a connection with it'. One Instagram user described a clip of gameplay in the Lagoon Leisure Centre as 'haunting", saying the footage reminded them of "the mad wave noise" and smell of the chips served in the café. On whether the game will satirise Scottish society in the way that GTA satirises the USA, the developer states that satire 'goes hand in hand with mimicking reality', acknowledging that GTA's creators 'are obviously tenured experts at it'. READ MORE: Edinburgh: Scottish gaming industry celebrated in major new exhibition Elaborating further, he says that a lot of logos and trademarks will need to be changed, and shop names 'remade for the in-game world' which 'could potentially have nods to the real world equivalent in a similar way to GTA'. Alongside GTA, Bovine says Crystal Gardens will be inspired by multiple game universes. In particular, the Broken Sword series, which focuses on ancient mysteries and conspiracies. Other inspirations include Oddworld, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Courier Crisis, Namco Museum, and Men In Black. The synopsis on the Kickstarter hints at supernatural themes, but Bovine has confirmed the game will be 'probably more comically scary than serious', involving 'underground exploration'. Check out the Kickstarter for further details on the game and what content financial backers can access.
