Long, long ago in a theatre far, far away, Space Hamlet, Prince of Space Denmark, was fighting with a troubled conscience…

Space Hamlet at London’s Cockpit Theatre will not change the world. Indeed, it has absolutely no intention of changing the world. Oh no! Space Hamlet has its eyes firmly fixed on changing the entire galaxy.

When I first heard about Space Hamlet, it was described to me as a glam rock musical that mashed together Hamlet, Star Wars, and The Muppets. Quite frankly, I don’t understand why nobody thought of it sooner. Those are three excellent things, and common sense dictates that combining them can only lead to even more excellence.

The result is a joyous, unapologetically ridiculous production that embraces its absurd premise with both arms and rockets off into orbit. One review suggested that Space Hamlet could become the next cult musical, following in the footsteps of The Rocky Horror Show and Avenue Q. At first glance that might sound like a bold claim, but after seeing the show for myself, I’m not entirely convinced it is.

One of the production’s greatest strengths is that the cast never wink at the audience. They play their characters with complete sincerity, as though they were performing Shakespeare at the Royal Shakespeare Company rather than acting out a glam rock space opera involving intergalactic Danish royalty. The more seriously they take it, the funnier it becomes, and the commitment of the performers is what elevates the show above a simple novelty act.

The songs are generally of a high standard and fit the production’s energetic spirit well. However, if there is one thing preventing Space Hamlet from reaching the very highest level of cult-musical greatness, it is the lack of a truly unforgettable anthem. It needs that one huge rock belter that audiences leave the theatre humming all the way home. Think Queen’s iconic theme from Flash Gordon. The musical numbers are enjoyable throughout, but none quite achieve that instant, earworm immortality.

That said, this does not diminish the enjoyment of the show in the slightest. In fact, I am firmly of the opinion that Space Hamlet fixed my hip. Having strained it several days before attending, I can report that somewhere during the course of the performance a miraculous recovery occurred. Whether this should be attributed to modern medicine, the healing power of glam rock, or the mysterious forces of Space Danmark remains unclear.

Ultimately, Space Hamlet is unlike any other musical currently playing in London. It is gloriously silly, wonderfully inventive, and entirely comfortable being exactly what it is. Frankly, it is worth seeing for Fortinbras’s costume alone.