Hamlet : Maxine Peake HAMLET

Barbara Marten (Actor)

Born: January 03, 1947

John Shrapnel (Actor)

Born: January 01, 1942

Trivia: On stage, the classically trained, stark-featured English character actor John Shrapnel wove a forceful, occasionally even scabrous dramatic undercurrent into his evocations of the figures inhabiting the great tragedies of literature. Maintaining a frequent presence at theaters such as The Aldwych, The Warehouse, and The Piccadilly, Shrapnel earned enthusiastic notices for his supporting contributions to productions of Julius Caesar, The Greeks, Hamlet, and innumerable others. On camera, the thespian built up a massive resumé beginning in the early '70s and emphasized both television and cinematic work. Filmed roles in the early years (such as that of Petya in the 1971 Nicholas and Alexandra, or that of Hector in the 1982 Troilus and Cressida) seemed primarily an offshoot of his theatrical stock, but by the late 1980s, he expanded his repertoire to include more commercial (Hollywood-oriented) fare. On that note, Shrapnel did effective supporting work in films as diverse as How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989), 101 Dalmatians (1996), and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002). Producers still often reserved him for classical and/or historical roles, however, per his portrayal of Lord Howard in Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).

Maxine Peake (Actor)

Born: July 14, 1974
Birthplace: Westhoughton, Bolton, England

Trivia: Played rugby league for her local Wigan Ladies team as a teenager. Took to acting at the age of 13 after joining Bolton Octagon Theatre's youth club. Won a scholarship to London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1996. Almost went to Manchester Metropolitan University because it was where Julie Walters and Victoria Wood met. She ended up working with both actors when she was offered the role of Twinkle in Dinnerladies while studying at the Academy in 1998. Won the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Actress for her role in The Children's Hour in 1998. Is vegetarian. Revealed in 2014 that she had suffered two miscarriages and tried IVF treatment without success. Became an Honorary Professor at Manchester University in January.

03:00 am - 06:30 am, Saturday, March 7 on WLIWDT4 All Arts HDTV (21.4)