BFI LFF: Elsinore (2026)

Renowned actor Ian Charleson gets the opportunity to take over the role of Hamlet at the National Theatre he learns of his AIDS diagnosis. Charleson’s health battles, as he attempts to deliver the role of a lifetime, are at the heart of director Simon Stone’s emotional drama Elsinore.

4 stars

Goodnight, sweet prince

by Chris Drew

In 1989 the National Theatre is left reeling, both backstage and in the audience, when leading man Daniel Day-Lewis walks off mid-scene during a performance of Hamlet.

Cutting to a month earlier, we see Ian Charleson (Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers) as a working actor constantly reminded about his role in Chariots of Fire with strangers regularly testing his manners and patience with hums of the iconic theme tune.

At a time where the gay community are under the threat of HIV and AIDS, Charleson has monthly check-ups and checks his body thoroughly for marks.

During make-up for a role, a mark is found by his eyebrow and Ian is soon diagnosed before discovering he is in demand to take over the role of Hamlet.

Meeting director Richard Eyre (Johnny Flynn, Beast) Charleson is honest about his condition and is adamant he has the energy for the task.

Supported by his friends, including best friend Patsy (Billie Piper, Scoop), he is directed to Dr Margaret Johnson (Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter) a leading doctor working to prolong the life of AIDS patients.

Dr Johnson is against Charleson’s focus on Hamlet, rather than solely on recovery, but gradually relents as he commits to the treatment.

From there the film follows Charleson and the company at the National in rehearsals alongside the various stages of his medication journey as he meets other patients at the clinic.

Clearly given the subject matter, the film is underpinned with an extreme sadness throughout and effectively captures the devastating impact of AIDS at the time.

In a powerful scene director Derek Jarman (David Dawson, My Policeman) – holding a grudge as Ian has stayed in the closet for the sake of his film career – urges Charleson to go public with his condition to raise awareness and fight the ‘war’. Ian is fiercely adamant that people will find out when he dies.

There are many genuinely moving moments; Ian’s parents (Peter Mullan, I Swear and Georgie Glen, My Week with Marilyn) visiting him in hospital when he comes out to them, comforting friend and fellow AIDS patient Georgie (Luke Thompson, Bridgerton) when his health takes a turn for the worst and revealing the truth about his condition to the cast of Hamlet.

Naturally, much of the emotion comes from Scott who delivers a bravura performance as Charleson. He has much to play; joyful charisma with friends in the early scenes, regret and unfulfillment with his career and the pain and fear of illness while fighting to give the performance of his life.

Scott excels in the rehearsal and performance scenes but is rarely left to deliver many lines before the film cuts away to another part of a montage.

Across the board Scott is surrounded by a strong ensemble. Colman is an excellent foil to Charleson with the doctor disapproving of his stage work in light of his condition, at one stage pointing out that people do not comment on Hamlet being an evening of light entertainment. As one would expect, Colman brings great nuance to Dr Johnson as she gradually softens towards Charleson’s position over time.

As Patsy, Piper gives the film a jolt of energy every time she swings into Ian’s flat while also nailing the quieter moments as a best friend giving her love and support at the most challenging time.

Flynn brings a gravitas and sensitivity as director Eyre while Monica Dolan (Eye in the Sky) is entertaining as stage manager Linda, drying delivering quips but later movingly announcing she can deal with anything as long as Ian doesn’t die on her.

Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply), as Sylvia Syms, adds further weight to the company of actors at the National as a caring figure for Charleson, confirming she will be driving him home each day and if he gets on his motorbike again it won’t be AIDS that kills him.

Dawson is effective as Jarman both highlighting Charleson’s position with his career and his sexuality and showing him what living with AIDS can be like.

There is strong period detail with plenty of indoor smoking and boxy Volvos on the roads.

It cannot be said to be a subtle film, picking out almost every reference to death in Hamlet and the demise of one character feels extremely telegraphed. Fortunately Stephen Beresford’s screenplay is also littered with grace notes of wit.

Scott is the main reason to seek out Elsinore with the Irishman delivering a tour de force performance which is sure to feature prominently in the awards conversation over the coming month.