Alongside Tennant, who is now best known for his TV performances in the title role of "Dr. Who" (but who has previously appeared with the RSC in The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, The Rivals and The General from America), will be RSC veterans Patrick Stewart, Penny Downie, Oliver Ford-Davies, John Woodvine and more recent RSC recruit Mariah Gale.

Stewart, who returns to the RSC fresh from his Broadway stint in the transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Macbeth to play the Ghost and Claudius, is an RSC Honorary Associate. He first worked for the company in 1966, and his most recent roles include Antony in Antony and Cleopatra and Prospero in The Tempest. Downie, who will play Gertrude, last appeared with the RSC when she played Penelope in Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad; in 2001 she appeared in The Prisoner's Dilemma. Ford-Davies, who will play Polonius, first appeared with the RSC in 1975. Woodvine, who will play the Player King, most recently appeared with the company in 1999 when he played Flavisu in Timon of Athens. Gale, who will play Ophelia, is currently playing Peaseblossom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Stratford, and in 2006 she played Miranda in The Tempest.

Also in the ensemble will be David Ajala (Reynaldo), Sam Alexander (Rosencrantz and Second Gravedigger), Edward Bennett (Laertes), Ricky Champ (Lucianus), Ewen Cummins (Barnardo), Robert Curtis (Franciso), Tom Davey (Guildenstern), Peter De Jersey (Horatio), Samuel Dutton (Lord), Ryan Gage (Oscric), Mark Hadfield (Gravedigger), Jim Hooper (Priest), Keith Osborn (Marcellus), Roderick Smith (Lord and Captain), Andrea Harris (Lady), Riann Steele (Lady) and Zoe Thorne (Lady and Player).

For tickets contact the box office at 0844 800 1110 or visit www.rsc.org.uk.