THE ultimate revenge play comes to Bishop's Waltham palace this week.

Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's best-known plays, is being performed in the open air on Sunday, when darkening night sky is sure to add to the unfolding drama of the play.

Hamlet explores the psychology of its eponymous anti-hero.

In Hamlet's almost puritanical search for the truth, he uses humour and passion in equal measures to strip away at the masks of deceit and the machinations of power.

As relevant now as ever before, this fundamental theme cannot be lost on today's audiences as the cunning faade of politics is exposed behind the skulduggery of war.

The play is being performed under the direction of Peter Mimmack and is being toured by Heartbreak Productions.

Peter was the director of last year's Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2003's The Merry Wives of Windsor, 2002's Richard III, 2001's The Taming of the Shrew and 1999's Twelfth Night for the company.

This new production of Hamlet promises to be a thought-provoking view on this ageless classic.

Combining the great theatricality of masks with specially created live music, these extreme characters and their extraordinary relationships are brilliantly brought to life.

Bishops Waltham Palace. Sunday, 7.30pm. Box office: 0870 3331183.