Ian Charleson played Hamlet at London's National Theatre in autumn 1989, stepping in after Daniel Day-Lewis left the role mid-performance. Charleson had AIDS. He performed 24 shows before his health deteriorated completely.
Simon Stone's Elsinore, written by Stephen Beresford, dramatizes those final weeks. Andrew Scott plays Charleson, with Olivia Colman as his doctor, Margaret Johnson. The supporting cast includes Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Joe Locke, Luke Thompson, Monica Dolan, and Juliet Stevenson.
The film screened at TIFF on September 14 and 15, following its world premiere at Telluride on September 4. Critical response has focused on Scott. According to Screen Rant, he pulls the role off "because of one simple thing: He's playing Charleson the man, with all his flaws and imperfections," calling it "one of the year's very best performances." The film holds an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes from 15 critics and a 78 on Metacritic.
Focus Features releases Elsinore in limited US theaters on November 20, expanding through Thanksgiving. The film will also open the 2026 BFI London Film Festival, with a UK release set for January 29, 2027.
Charleson was best known for Chariots of Fire. His 1989 Hamlet is regarded as one of the landmark stage performances of its era.
