A captivating new exhibition from Universal and Focus Features opened this week, inviting Londoners into the ethereal world of Hamnet, Focus Features’ breath taking new film from Academy Award®-winning director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, The Rider), which was adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s highly acclaimed eighth novel.
“Even as a Shadow, Even as a Dream” celebrates Zhao’s visionary storytelling and unique creative process.
It received amazing initial feedback from the fully booked first day:
Anna Rakhvalova, from London said: “A wonderful exhibition that continues the experience of the film. It feels really intimate and personal.”
Simon Thorburn added:
‘It’s a very unique experience to see the images of the movie before the official release. I enjoyed the ambience and setup and really looking forward to seeing it in the cinema.”
Jenna Lorains said: “Absolutely stunning.” Sam Davies thought it was: “Beautifully curated and a perfect insight into the film.”
Curated by Simindokht Dehgani, the exhibition showcases original props and set pieces, along with behind the scenes photography by Agata Grzybowska which captures the film’s stunning locations, from the forests of Stratford-Upon-Avon to the stage of the Globe Theatre. There is also a variety of artwork and writings from Zhao and actor Jessie Buckley.
Buckley’s evocative handwritten notes on becoming Agnes Shakespeare, paired with Grzybowska’s haunting black and white photography, offer visitors an intimate glimpse behind the scenes of Hamnet,
Simindokht says: “While the cameras rolled, another story unfolded — in margins, in notebooks, in silence. We are not watching a story unfold, but witnessing something remembered: the dead are not restored, only made visible — if only for a moment, like a shadow, like a dream.”
Hamnet, which opens 9 January 2026, stars Academy Award®-nominee Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter) and Academy Award®-nominee Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers). The film by Academy Award® winning writer/director Chloé Zhao tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.
Accompanied by a top-flight supporting cast including Academy Award®-nominee Emily Watson (Hilary and Jackie, Breaking the Waves) and Joe Alwyn (The Brutalist), Hamnet is a nuanced, sensitive and magnificently crafted tale about the complexities of love and the healing power of creativity.
Chloé Zhao says: “Will Shakepeare had written a story about love and death and I feel honoured and fortunate to be able to interpret his messages for today’s audience. Hamnet is about how these two foundational human experiences can alchemize and transform each other through art and storytelling.”
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WATCH THE TRAILER FOR HAMNET HERE
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The “Even as a Shadow, Even as a Dream” exhibition runs until 20th December and will be open 10AM until 6PM Tuesday-Saturday each week.
Tickets are still available via EventBrite. The exhibition is located at 6 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HJ. An accompanying book Even as a Shadow, Even as a Dream by Chloé Zhao, Jessie Buckley, and Agata Grzybowska is also available from MACK.
For entry to the exhibition, go to EventBrite via link HERE. The site lists the full opening schedule as well as information on how to book your visit and full terms and conditions. A limited number of walk-ins will be allowed each day.