HAMLET, arguably Shakespeares masterpiece, is coming to Malvern with all its passion, revenge and tragedy.

English Touring Theatre is on the road with its new production of the play, staged 12 years after the critical success of its first version.

And no stranger to passion, revenge and tragedy, is cast member Anita Dobson, who made such an impact on the small screen as Angie Watts in EastEnders.

She joins Ed Stoppard, a rising star of the stage, in the role of Hamlet, among a cast promising a show that is clear, fast and visually breathtaking.

The new production is directed by Stephen Unwin, ETT's artistic director and a winner of the Shakespeare Globe's Sam Wanamaker Award.

He says it will stay true to the company's ethos of producing 'raw, direct and passionate theatre' and hopes to repeat past successes, including the company's staging of King Lear with Timothy West.

Although known for her TV work, Anita Dobson, who plays Hamlet's mother Gertrude, has been a recent star of the stage. She was applauded by the critics for her performance in Frozen at the Royal National Theatre and was nominated for best actress at the Olivier Awards, Evening Standard Awards and London Critics Circle Awards.

Hamlet plays from Tuesday to Saturday next week. Box office: 01684 892277.