Lebanese stage actor Rifaat Tarabay has brought back to life one of the most iconic plays ever written by English poet and playwright William Shakespeare more than 425 years ago: Hamlet – The Mad Prince.

On the stage of Beryte Theater on Damascus Road in Beirut, Tarabay gave a captivating solo performance last night before a packed audience of officials, cultural figures, artists, and media professionals. For nearly an hour, he held the room in a hypnotic grip, embodying the tormented soul of Denmark’s mad prince—driven by the ghost of his murdered father to avenge his death at the hands of his uncle, with his mother’s complicity.

With commanding presence and an unbroken stream of monologues, Tarabay delivered a haunting portrayal of Hamlet’s inner turmoil, keeping the audience breathless until his tragic fall after exacting revenge.

Directed by Lina Abi Aad, this bold rendition of Hamlet has rekindled the flame of avant-garde Lebanese theater, long dimmed by absence and estrangement.

Last night, Beirut pulsed once more with the rhythm of culture and civilization, as the pioneering play continues its run—reviving the timeless existential question as stated by Shakespeare’s tormented prince:

“To be, or not to be—that is the question.”