[1][2] The original cast includes Johnny Flynn as Burton, Mark Gatiss as Gielgud, and Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor.

The play revolves around the dynamic and tense relationship between a young, enthusiastic Richard Burton and an aging Sir John Gielgud during a 1964 Broadway production of Hamlet.

The play originated at the National Theatre, written by Jack Thorne, and directed by Sam Mendes, with previews opening on 21 April 2023.

[8] The Telegraph's Dominic Cavendish hailed the play as "a witty, deft, touching evocation of a fascinating, fraught encounter that captures the mood of those times".

[9] Arifa Akbar of The Guardian gave a mixed review, praising the performances but noting that "ultimately, this play-about-the-play leaves us wishing we had been there to see Burton in the real thing.