Shakespeare's longest play has a long history of production. Through waves of different Hamlet productions, John Caird's 2000 production of Hamlet stands out above all for its lead actor. This National Theater show, staged at the Littleton Theatre, featured Simon Russell Beale as the title character. In The Guardian, Lyn Gardner writes that Russell Beale has wanted to star in a production of Hamlet for twenty years and when he got the chance, he didn't "swallow it". John Caird's elaborate three and a half hour production gave a great nod to the religious aspect of the show, especially with the use of the set. Although Russell Beale's performance was universally acclaimed, the effectiveness of portraying Hamlet as a gentle soul and the consequences of this choice were debated. John Caird's vision for his production of Hamlet was to give it a "stiflingly religious" atmosphere in which "the set was part cathedral, part castle, part graveyard, part attic" (Bate 202). With the help of production designer Tim Hatley, this goal was achieved. Amy Gamerman of the Wall Street Journal called the set "dreary" and "empty-looking". and recomposed in different ways to make different scenes. Presumably this element of the set served the purpose of reinforcing the idea of ​​Hamlet's journey of transition from a life devoid of pain to a life filled with the truth of his father's death (Vivier 323). . Unfortunately, Kate Levin in Shakespeare Quarterly says that this theme-driven scenic choice simply did not "coexist" with the uneven lighting choices and monotonous Latin chant intended to highlight the religious aspect of the play (11... .. medium paper ......ucson Weekly. May 10, 2001. Tucson Weekly Web, October 27, 2013. Google.Rocamora, Carol “A Prince Among Men: Rediscovering Hamlet.” February 1, 2001. The Nation. Web, October 27, 2013. Google.Rogoff, Gordon “Auden Country and the Search for the Perfect Theater.” Judylee. "Comparative Review of Two Productions of Hamlet Produced by the Brooklyn Academy of Music" Voice and Speech Review 3.1 (2003): 322-324. Web. Google Scholar.Wolf, Matt. “Two hamlets explore new paths in old terrain.” , Matt. “Review of Hamlet”. Michelle Lee. vol. 92. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Network. October 23, 2013. Literature Resource Center.