Tom Hiddleston's Hamlet, RADA

Student theatre – it's cheap and intimate, with a mixed bag of talents and an absence of hype.

Well, not this September. The small studio theatre space at RADA will host some of the biggest names in the industry for a special three-week production of Hamlet to raise money for the drama school's expansion.

Tom Hiddleston, of Thor, Night Manager, and best-bet-for-Bond fame, will follow in the footsteps of many male celebrities before him to play the troubled prince for the strictly limited run. He will be joined by a cast of RADA graduates who have graduated into successful stage careers.

Adding to the surfeit of talent is seasoned thespian and master of blockbusters, Sir Kenneth Branagh. The director's eponymous theatre company, fresh from winning an Olivier for a season of plays at the Garrick, will collaborate with the RADA team on this co-production.

'Hamlet presents almost limitless possibilities for interpretation,' said Hiddleston. 'I can’t wait to explore them, with this great cast, at RADA. Kenneth Branagh and I have long talked about working on the play together and now felt like the right time, at the right place. To be guided through it by him as a director, an expert and a friend, is our great good fortune.'

The cast of Hamlet, featuring Tom Hiddleston

With just 160 seats, the theatre offers an unparalleled opportunity to get up close to an actor who is at the very top of his game; it also means that tickets will be like gold dust. They will be released via ballot and priced between £45 and £95.

It might seem steep for student theatre, but this production of Hamlet is realms beyond amateur level. And, as Tom Hiddleston himself assures us, all proceeds go to towards helping RADA 'to provide a wider field of equal opportunity to train actors, stage managers, and technical theatre artists, from every background to a standard of excellence and professionalism. We need to keep the doors open for everyone.'

Amen to that. And maybe with this funding boost, the next generation's star-vehicle Shakespeare production won't be led by privileged white men...

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How to get tickets for Tom Hiddleston's Hamlet

A ballot for tickets is open from noon on Tuesday 1 August to 6pm on Sunday 6 August. Click here to register online or register by phoning 01223 351851.

Successful entrants will be selected at random and notified by email after ballot registration has closed and invited to purchase tickets.

Booking for those who got through the ballot is open from 10am on Wednesday 9 August to 6pm on Thursday 10 August. Tickets are priced at £95, £45 (£15 for under 25s with photo ID) and are limited to two per booker.