In a surprising artistic twist, Grand Theft Auto V has transformed from a crime-driven simulator into a platform for creative expression and innovation. One such project is Grand Theft Hamlet – the documentary film that glues Shakespearean classic tragedy together with the virtual world of GTA Online. It was directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane and follows two actors as they try to stage Hamlet inside the game during the Covid-19 lockdown.
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Having premiered at SXSW Film Festival earlier this year where it won the documentary feature jury award, things are moving forward as MUBI has acquired US and global streaming rights. This is a fresh chapter for Rockstar’s triple-A gem that proves GTA V has overstayed its welcome. But is that necessarily a bad thing?
The COVID-19 lockdown had filmmakers and actors face huge challenges due to restrictions that made traditional theater productions impossible. The two actors, Crane and Mark Oosterveen, were left without a proper stage. Uniting with Grylls, they chose GTA Online as their alternative medium. Joining them were Tilly Steele as Ophelia, and Gareth Turkington as Claudius, among others.
The official synopsis for the documentary reads, “January 2021. The UK is in its third lockdown and all entertainment venues remain closed. For theatre actors Sam and Mark, the future looks bleak. As the pandemic drags on, Mark – single and childless – is increasingly socially isolated, while Sam panics about how he is going to support his young family. They spend their days in the online digital world of Grand Theft Auto and when they stumble across a theatre, they suddenly have an idea to stage a full production of Hamlet within the game. This film charts their ridiculous, hilarious, and moving adventure as they battle violent griefers and discover surprising truths about life, friendship, and the enduring power of Shakespeare.”
This isn’t the first time filmmakers have used video games as a creative tool. The genre known as Machinima has long experimented with in-game footage to bring unique films and stories to a wider public.
If we look back to a not-so-distant past, the web series Red vs. Blue, created by Burnie Burns in 2003 and based on the video game Halo: Combat Evolved, became a global hit. Unfortunately, the machinima failed to stick. Nevertheless, it seems that the GTA Hamlet might be a spark that will reignite the fire that once burnt in blue flames during the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
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The documentary shows actors struggling to adapt Shakespeare’s Hamlet within the chaotic world of GTA Online. It is not only a technical challenge, but also a gameplay challenge, considering the violence that comes with GTA games from griefers as they try to stop the art form from happening.
After its SXSW debut, Grand Theft Hamlet also had its screening at BFI London on October 15, expanding its audience. However, all eyes are now pointed at MUBI as the arthouse streaming company is yet to reveal the exact release day for larger audiences.