Early performance history of Hamlet in London (c. 1600–1625)

1. Hamlet enters the Lord Chamberlain’s Men repertory

   Jan 1, 1600Labels: Lord Chamberlain, Hamlet, London

   • ShakespeareDoc

2. Stationers’ Register records Hamlet as “lately acted”

   Jul 26, 1602Labels: Stationers' Register, James Roberts, Lord Chamberlain

   • ShakespeareDoc

3. First Quarto (Q1) advertises London performances

   Jan 1, 1603Labels: First Quarto, Hamlet, London

   • ISE Q1
   • RSC

4. Company becomes the King’s Men under James I

   May 19, 1603Labels: King s, James I, Globe Theatre

   • EMLoT
   • ShakespeareDoc

5. King’s Men patent lists core actors for early Hamlet

   May 19, 1603Labels: King s, Richard Burbage, William Shakespeare

   • ShakespeareDoc
   • EMLoT

6. Second Quarto (Q2) expands the playtext

   Jan 1, 1604Labels: Second Quarto, Nicholas Ling, Hamlet

   • ISE Q2
   • Folger Intro

7. Q2’s 1605-dated issue shows sustained demand

   Jan 1, 1605Labels: Second Quarto, Hamlet, Print reissue

   • Hamlet texts
   • ISE Q2

8. Third Quarto (Q3) reprints Hamlet for Smethwick

   Jan 1, 1611Labels: Third Quarto, John Smethwick, Hamlet

   • List of quartos
   • Folger Notes

9. Hamlet becomes part of a long-running London repertory

   Jan 1, 1615Labels: King s, Hamlet, London repertory

   • ShakespeareDoc
   • List of quartos

10. Shakespeare’s death closes the author’s lifetime context

    Apr 23, 1616Labels: William Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1616

    • Britannica

11. Undated 1622 quarto (Q4) reflects ongoing publication

    Jan 1, 1622Labels: Quarto Q4, John Smethwick, Hamlet

    • List of quartos
    • Folger Notes

12. First Folio publishes a new Hamlet text version

    Jan 1, 1623Labels: First Folio, Hamlet, 1623

    • Folger Intro
    • Hamlet texts