{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O138197"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O138197/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O138197","accessionNumber":"S.151-2007","objectType":"Skull","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This is the human skull used as Yorick's skull in the Royal Court Theatre's acclaimed production of <i>Hamlet</i> directed by Richard Eyre, starring Jonathan Pryce as Hamlet, which opened on the 2nd April 1980. The skull was signed by many of the members of the cast and production team before it was offered as a raffle prize, presumably by the theatre.\r\n\r\nThe most popular image of Hamlet is that of the solitary figure of Hamlet holding Yorick's skull, despite the fact that when Hamlet holds it he is with the gravedigger and Horatio. The incident comes from the graveyard scene in Act V scene 1, where Hamlet takes Yorick's skull from the gravedigger and says to Horatio: 'Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy.' That moment has somehow become emblematic of the play, and is often misquoted as: 'Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him well'. The critic Francis King, writing in <i>The Sunday Telegraph</i>, 6 April 1980,  noted that when Pryce picked up the skull: 'it wasn't with the usual wistful regret for human mortality but with a childish glee'.","physicalDescription":"Human skull containing one tooth, with bone loss around the left eye socket and left cheek area.  Signed on the cranium in blue felt tip pen by cast and members of the production team.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bone","id":"AAT11798"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"CONTAINS HUMAN REMAINS","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES301271"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"skull","id":""}],[{"text":"stage property","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":"29/07/2025 (ZH) Record isn't restricted, but the images are (temporarily) pending formal approach to showing human remains on EtC"}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1980","earliest":"1980-01-01","latest":"1980-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given anonymously","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approximately","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"15.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approximately","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"20.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"approximately","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Kevin Quarmby' (Player); 'Will Knightley' (Guildenstern); 'Simon Chandler' (Laertes); 'David Neville 1980' (Rosencrantz); 'Colum Gallivan' (Marcellus); 'Jude K' (Jude Kelham, ASM); 'Harriet Ophelia' (Harriet Walter); 'Jill Bennett' (Gertrude); 'Geoffrey C. with love' (Geoffrey Chater, Polonius); 'Rick Cottan xx' (Richard Cottan, Reynaldo); 'OSRIC' (David Sibley); 'ANNA'; 'Katrin x'; 'Bo' (Bo Barton, SM); 'ELPHICK' (Michael Elphick, Claudius)","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Signed in blue felt tip pen on the cranium. The signatures are those of members of the cast and production team."}],"objectHistory":"Used as the skull of Yorick by Jonathan Pryce as Hamlet in Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i>, Royal Court Theatre 1980. Jonathan Pryce is depicted holding the skull in the photograph accompanying the <i>Observer Review</i>criticism by Michael Coveney, 4 May 1980, when the skull appears to have had more teeth.  Some were obviously lost during the production.\n\nThe skull was part of a charity raffle following the production of 'Hamlet' and then anonymously donated to the museum in 2007. While individuals have occasionally donated their remains specifically for use in theatrical contexts, the owner of these remains is unknown. The display, use, and access to human remains in our collections aligns with the Human Tissue Act 2004 and follows DCMS's Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Human skull used as the skull of Yorick in the production of <i>Hamlet</i> starring Jonathan Pryce, Royal Court Theatre, 1980.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"<b>3, 4, 5 Hamlet\r\n1980\n</b>\r\nHamlet has been interpreted in many different ways since it was first performed around 1599. In Richard Eyre’s production at the Royal Court, the part of Hamlet’s father was cut and his words spoken by Hamlet, a decision that strengthened the suggestion of Hamlet’s madness. The photograph shows Jonathan Pryce as Hamlet\n\r\n<i>Play by William Shakespeare, 1600-1\r\nRoyal Court Theatre, London</i>\r\n\n<b>Photograph</b>\r\n<i>Gelatin-silver print\r\nBy John Haynes (active from 1965)\r\nGiven by the Royal Court Theatre\r\nMuseum no. THM/273</i>\n\r\n<b>Prompt book showing cuts to Act 1, Scene 1</b>\r\n<i>Given by the Royal Court Theatre\r\nMuseum no. PLAYS SHA PROMPT</i>\n\r\n<b>Skull stage property</b>\r\n<i>Anonymous gift\r\nMuseum no. S.151–2007</i>\r\n","date":{"text":"March 2009","earliest":"2009-03-01","latest":"2009-03-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.151-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"151","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2025PD7770"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-30","recordCreationDate":"2007-08-02","availableToBook":false}}