Real Human Skull used in a production of Hamlet

A real human skull has stolen the show in a production of Hamlet starring Dr Who actor David Tennant, prompting the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) to stop using it.

The skull of Polish pianist Andre Tchaikovsky proved too distracting for the audience and would be replaced by a plastic prop when the play transfers to London's West End, the RSC told Channel 4 News in Britain.

The origin of the skull had been kept a secret throughout the play's four-month run in Shakespeare's home town of Stratford-upon-Avon before Tennant revealed in an interview that it belonged to Tchaikovsky.

The pianist left his skull to the RSC in 1982 after he died of cancer to be used on stage in Hamlet.

But Tennant was the first actor to use Tchaikovsky's skull during the famous grave-digger scene.

Tchaikovsky's former agent and friend Terry Harrison said he was disappointed by the decision to stop using the skull.

``I understand that artists are very sensitive, most are and I could imagine someone not being very comfortable so I think that David Tennant was wonderful that he did it,'' Harrison told Channel 4 News.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Real
• Human
• Skull
• production
• Hamlet

[ShePaintsMusic]

It's funny, most people would never know how common it is to own human remains. I own a real human skull. However it's weird if you know exactly whose head it was o.O

[KitsuneNyanko]

But from what the Director said, they never actually stopped using it.

[andretchaikowskycom]

andretchaikowsky-dot-com/misce­llaneous/skull.htm has the whole story.

[Nushicat]

...Wow.

[slashGNR212]

alas poor yorick

you think this is odd you can buy real human skeletons over the internet i just looked at one website it had the skull of an aborted fetus i mean wtf

[WholovesDavidT1]

aww bless him i saw this with the real skull

[petrat76]

went to see it last night and it was still the real skull - you can tell the difference

[misscynthia17]

Amazing I had no idea when I saw the play that David Tennant was actually holding a real skull !