ROCKLAND — Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC’s Sherlock, Doctor Strange, The Power of the Dog) takes on the title role of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in National Theatre Live screenings on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., at the Strand Theatre. This encore presentation was filmed live at the Barbican in London in 2015. 

In Shakespeare’s great tragedy,  a country arms itself for war as a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father’s death but paralyzed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state. 

National Theatre Live is an initiative presented by the Royal National Theatre in London that broadcasts captured-live performances to cinemas around the world. Now seen by over 900,000 people worldwide, the original 2015 broadcast of Hamlet returns to international venues. 

Hamlet is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Running time is 3 hours, 37 minutes.

Tickets are $15/General Admission, $12/Strand Members, and are available at the Strand website at www.RocklandStrand.com, at the walk-up box office during box office hours and when the theater is open for shows, or at the door 30 minutes prior to show time.

The Strand Theatre is located at 345 Main St., Rockland.