Hamlet

Hamlet is a massive role, so it's no wonder that most actors who seek to lift the skull are greeted with Hamlet-style doubts from the critics - and even less surprising when the actor in question is Jude Law, hitherto known for golden boy good looks and a string of increasingly mediocre movie roles. It's a pleasure to report that Law is more than equal to the role of the great equivocator: he has the physical and vocal range for its operatic demands and he brings vulnerability, honesty and charisma to Hamlet's soul-searching.

Michael Grandage's bleak, atmospheric production is less concerned with heights of poetry or philosophy than it is with the exciting plot: mists rise; shafts of light fall from arrow slits to frame Hamlet's speeches in crossed blades of light; and there's a palpable sense of danger. It's genuinely chilling: the wind howls, and Law delivers his most famous speech barefoot in the snow. Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' is more than the thriller we're offered here - but many productions are less than thrilling and, despite a weaker supporting cast than Grandage usually musters, this clear and pacey version should skewer its first-time viewers to their seats.