Marathon Hamlet | presented by artistic allsort

3 May 2026 ‐

03 May 2026

1:00 pm ‐ 8:00 pm

3 Venue Ticket – General Admission
$100.00

1 Session Only – General Admission
$40.00

Five acts. Three venues. One long run.

MARATHON HAMLET stages Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy across three historic Melbourne sites, as Hamlet runs a full marathon between acts.

What Awaits You

MARATHON HAMLET is a one-day, multi-venue staging of Shakespeare’s Hamlet unfolding across three National Trust properties in Melbourne. Over the course of a single day, each act of the play is performed in a different historic setting, inviting audiences to experience both the drama and the distinct character of each site.

As the story progresses from venue to venue, the performer in the title role runs the full 42.2 kilometre marathon distance between locations. Travelling in real time, she arrives live to begin the next act, physically connecting the historic spaces through endurance and performance.

Bringing together theatre, athletic achievement and heritage architecture, MARATHON HAMLET offers a contemporary reimagining of how classic works can inhabit significant places. The final act culminates at the finish line… completing both the play and the marathon in one continuous day.

Important information

MARATHON HAMLET unfolds across three Melbourne heritage venues while Hamlet runs a full marathon between them.

Each venue offers a complete theatrical experience, with different acts of the play performed at each location. Audiences attending the full journey will travel between venues while following Hamlet’s run via livestream.

Important: Hamlet runs the marathon. The audience does not.

Venues
  • Pentridge Prison – Act I & II, 1pm – 2pm
  • Old Magistrates’ Court – Act III, 5pm – 6pm
  • Como House – Acts IV & V, 7pm – 8pm
Getting Between Venues
  •  Audience members travel between venues themselves.
  • You are welcome to travel by public transport, car, bike, or on foot.
  • Travel time is built into the schedule.
Public Transport
  • Pentridge Prison: Coburg Station (Upfield Line), Tram Route 19 – Pentridge Village stop.
  • Old Magistrates’ Court: Melbourne Central or Flagstaff stations, multiple Swanston St tram routes.
  • Como House: South Yarra Station, Tram Route 58 – Williams Rd
Parking
  • Pentridge: Pentridge Village car park and surrounding street parking.
  • Old Magistrates’ Court: CBD parking garages nearby. Public transport is recommended.
  • Como House: Nearby street parking 2hrs
What to Bring

Your phone: to follow the livestream as Hamlet runs between venues

Comfortable footwear: some venues may not have full seating capacity and you may need to stand during parts of the performance

Your ticket confirmation 

All performance venues are indoors. However, ticket holders attending the full journey will travel between locations throughout the day.

Following the Run

Between venues, Hamlet will run the marathon route, with select monologues performed mid-run and livestreamed for audiences to follow.

Audience members can follow the run via livestream as the journey moves through the city. The livestream link will be sent to ticket holders closer to the event.

Schedule

1pm ACT I & II Pentridge Prison

The story begins at Pentridge Prison.

Following the performance, Hamlet begins the marathon journey towards the next venue.

 

2pm – 5pm The Interval

While audiences travel to the next venue, Hamlet runs 27km along the Merri Creek and Main Yarra Trails. During the run, select monologues from the play will be performed and livestreamed. Audience members can follow the journey online.

This interval is the perfect opportunity to grab dinner before the evening performances.

Lygon Street in Carlton is a short walk from Old Magistrates’ Court and offers plenty of restaurants and cafés. The venue is also close to Melbourne’s CBD, where you’ll find a wide range of dining options.

 

5pm ACT III Old Magistrates’ Court: Act

The story deepens at Old Magistrates’ Court, where the middle act of the play unfolds.

 

6pm The Final Run

Hamlet runs the final 5km stretch along the Yarra towards the final venue.

 

7pm ACT IV & V Como House
The final chapters of Hamlet take place at Como House as the day reaches its dramatic conclusion.

 

8pm Finish Line
Hamlet completes the marathon and the performance concludes.

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