When one thinks of ideal venues for Shakespeare, one might envision idyllic, sun-drenched parks or stately theatres. The gang war-ravaged, twelve-year-old-serial-killer-infested hellscape of Grand Theft Auto V's Los Santos is likely pretty low on that list, but that hasn't stopped actors Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls. These two real-world actors have embarked on an odyssey to stage William Shakespeare's Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto Online, dodging missiles and railguns as they recruit an ensemble cast entirely in-game and try their best to stay on top of the chaotic production. The entire journey has been chronicled in a hilarious-looking documentary that's soon to release.
As a gamer, it feels bizarre to see in-game footage of GTA being shown in theaters. At the end of the day, though, it's hard not to feel like taking something built primarily for blowing up your fellow humans from a city block away and twisting it toward an artistic purpose is exactly the kind of thing Shakespeare would have loved to see. Unfortunately, Hamlet himself is a moody bastard and would probably have hated it because it isn't helping him kill his uncle. So it goes.
