Radiohead Rescores 'Hamlet' with 'Hail to the Thief' in Theatrical Adaptation

British band Radiohead is reworking their 2003 album 'Hail to the Thief' for a stage adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', set to premiere in Manchester. Frontman Thom Yorke describes the project as a blend of grief and paranoia, resonating deeply with both the album and the play.

Radiohead is revisiting their 2003 album 'Hail to the Thief' to provide the soundtrack for a new stage adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet.' The production will debut in Manchester this April.

The sixth studio album, which features tracks like 'There There' and '2+2=5', was created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and the War on Terror. The themes of fear and paranoia in both the album and the Shakespearean tragedy offer a compelling synergy.

Frontman Thom Yorke described the collaboration with directors Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett as both a daunting and captivating challenge. Yorke highlighted the process of aligning the album's sounds with the underlying emotions of Hamlet. Jones, inspired by Radiohead since their 2003 tour, noted the 'uncanny reverberances' between the text and the album.

The adaptation will premiere at Aviva Studios in Manchester before moving to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon. Radiohead, including members Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, and Philip Selway, have released nine acclaimed studio albums blending rock and electronic music.

(With inputs from agencies.)