It's only January, but the eccentric, ambitious documentary Grand Theft Hamlet will certainly be one of the most interesting films of 2025. During England's second lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, two actors who had been spending their time in England became unemployed Grand Theft Auto Online decided to stage a production of hamlet within the confines of the game's virtual world. Their performance of the piece (synchronized GTA Hamlet) was presented exclusively through the vast virtual cityscape of Los Santos, with their in-game avatars as actors.
Grand Theft Hamlet tells the story of the duo's unique production and shows the virtual avatars of the actors trying to pull off something that seems impossible. What emerges is a portrait of a virtual theater group constantly (and occasionally literally) struggling to organize its production amidst pure chaos GTA Online.
Grand Theft Hamlet is an ambitious documentary that aims to capture the delicate real moments of performing a play in the virtual world GTA Online. It doesn't always work: some moments seem scripted. (The filmmakers told Polygon that while they didn't direct any of the drama, they re-recorded lines of dialogue to clean up the audio.) Ultimately, the creators were trying to control a finished product that they would never have control over. rather than fully embracing the chaos that the form gave them. But when it's on, Grand Theft Hamlet feels like a lightning bolt, with the best moments being the completely unexpected ones, as the chaos of the world continually disrupts their attempts to rehearse and get the virtual production off the ground.
Just take a look around most popular reviews of the film on Letterboxd: They are full of love for ParTeb, a supporting actor who brought pure chaos to the production. ParTeb was not among the many actors hired by creators Sam Crane, Pinny Grylls and Mark Oosterveen to produce “ hamlet. ParTeb was a random passerby wearing a ridiculous alien outfit. Initially introduced as a curious viewer, ParTeb becomes the comedic lifeblood of the documentary.
In one of Grand Theft HamletAfter rehearsals for the planned production are interrupted multiple times by random gunfire and in-game police operations, ParTeb receives an informal promotion to head of security for the virtual theater company, providing deadly protection from his VTOL jet in the sky. The juxtaposition of a dilapidated theater group trying to put on a production and a huge military fighter plane hovering overhead is exactly what makes the film GTA Hamlet particularly.
ParTeb's involvement and the troupe's other chance encounters with GTAO The players help make the ambitious undertaking truly feel like live theater, including the risky elements of chance: anything can happen during a live performance, including audience interference. When ParTeb offers to come to see me [virtual green alien] butt” just to go on stage and recite a portion of the Quran beautifully, the sheer surprise at the unexpected turn of events makes the moment truly magical.
Spontaneity is the key GTA Hamlets Success as a theater production, like no other countless production GTA Online Role players trying to make their virtual dreams come true in a chaotic game. Some people play the game without committing crimes. Role-playing games other than High school students. Some people play as Contract killerwhile others pretending to be police officers. They all have to deal with the fundamental tension between their individual goals, the ultimate goal of the game, and the goals of all the other players around them.
The same tension arose when Past lives Director Celine Song tried to put together a production of Anton Chekhov The seagull In The Sims 4. Polygon's Nicole Carpenter noted that this posed a challenge to the production, but also added additional elements of humor and surprising depth, just as in GTA Hamlet:
Sims, of course, operate with “free will,” meaning that if they have another need that needs to be met – for example, if they are hungry or need to pee – they will do so and not do what they are told by the player.
This makes creating a live production where the Sims (as actors) are supposed to follow the player's every move much more chaotic. But it also helps reimagine this classic text in a way that is both profound and hilarious.
Spontaneous action is not the only place where GTA Hamlet gains strength through its shape. When the climax is reached and characters start dying left and right, GTA OnlineThe kill feed dutifully reports every death. (Spoiler alert for a 400+ year old play, I guess.) “Queen_Gertrude took the easy way out.” “Hamlet_thedane killed King_Claudius.” “Hamlet_thedane took the easy way out.” In these moments, Grand Theft Hamlet best connects the great distance between the history of live theater and the new medium into which it was drawn.
hamlet has been performed countless times and in countless ways, but never quite like this. It's a thrilling reminder that there are always new ways to reimagine our oldest and most enduring stories. It does Grand Theft Hamlet an exciting entry into a new wave of films and theater productions that utilize the spontaneity of video game worlds as a potential site for narrative action. The documentary is also a helpful reminder for artists working in (not so) new and difficult forms that sometimes the chaos is the point.
Grand Theft Hamlet is currently showing in cinemas.
