DISCOVERING HAMLET, the 1990 PBS documentary about Derek Jacobi’s 1988 production of Hamlet for the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh in the title role, will be released on DVD by Acorn Media’s documentary imprint Athena on February 1st.

Three hours of bonus features include exclusive behind-the scenes footage and extended interviews with Jacobi and other members of the cast and crew.  Apart from on-screen biographies there are profiles of Hamlets through the ages, all the way from nineteenth-century actors like Edwin Booth up to Jacobi, who played Hamlet long before directing. The DVD also comes with a 12-page viewer’s guide with an introduction by director Mark Olshaker, a history of the Renaissance Theatre Company, critical reactions to the production, and an article on the play’s textual challenges. Clips from the broadcast are available to view on YouTube.

For more information on the original PBS broadcast see the Shakespeare Database.