A review from the Elsinore London Film Festival praises Andrew Scott's performance in Simon Stone’s film "Elsinore," which follows the life of actor Ian Charleson as he battles AIDS while preparing for his role as Hamlet. The reviewer declares Scott's portrayal Oscar-worthy, drawing comparisons to his previous acclaimed work in "All of Us Strangers." Despite touching on themes that could be considered sentimental or overly dramatic, the film manages to maintain a pulse of joy and resilience through its poignant narrative and exceptional acting, particularly from Scott and Olivia Colman.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Andrew Scott delivered a powerful performance in the film Elsinore, which premiered at the Elsinore London Film Festival. The movie follows the life of real-life actor Ian Charleson, known for his role as Hamlet alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, who gave his last stage performance at London’s National Theatre in 1989. Scott portrays Charleson's struggles, including video auditions for low-quality films and a confrontation about AIDS with artist Derek Jarman (played by David Dawson), adding depth to the narrative. Reviewer Nick Howells from The Standard predicts that Scott's portrayal is so outstanding it will be hard for Academy voters to overlook during awards season.
Written for “Elsinore London Film Festival Review” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The last time I cried this much in a cinema was three years ago.
asserted
I → cry → cinema
That film was Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers, and I wept like a baby.
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I → weep → baby
Scott was criminally overlooked during awards season then, but dispel any scepticism about those already shooing him in for an Oscar this time round.
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Scott → overlook → Oscar
This is a performance of a lifetime; and one the Academy voters would need a collective bout of insanity to ignore.
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voters → need → insanity
And for those who accused the makers of All of Us Strangers (about fictional characters) of manipulating audiences to tears, the difference here is that Simon Stone’s Elsinore follows the desperately heart-wrenching and glory-bound life of a real human being: young actor Ian Charleson.
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Elsinore → accuse → being
We open on stage at London’s National Theatre in 1989.
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We → open → 1989
“Just say the f***ing line,” pleads a cast member to Hamlet, who has frozen speechless at the ghost of his father, before storming back to his dressing room door to reveal the name plate “Daniel Day-Lewis” (his last ever stage performance).
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who → say → plate
Rewind a month and Scott’s Charleson is doing spirit-draining video auditions for shonky action movies, swanning around gay Soho — where he has an awkward altercation about the Aids epidemic with old friend Derek Jarman (David Dawson) — and having a full-on luvvie old time with best friend, the casting director Patsy Pollock (Billie Piper).
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he → rewind → friend
At this point, those who come out in hives at the thought of yet another tedious movie about theatre might have cause for concern.
uncertain
who → come → concern
Worry not, that cosiness vanishes as soon as Charleson discovers a large spot on his face (a sign that his HIV is developing to full-blown Aids).
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HIV → worry → Aids
Then just as Charleson is enduring another cheeky London cabbie humming the theme tune to Chariots of Fire (he loathes being recognised for his role as Eric Liddell), he hears Day-Lewis has left Hamlet.
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Lewis → endure → Hamlet
Soon after he gets the call he’d always dreamed of from director Richard Eyre (Johnny Flynn): to replace Day-Lewis as Hamlet.
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he → get → Hamlet
He’s utterly terrified of dying (Aids was decimating the gay community) but of course he’s going to take the part, with only Eyre aware of his condition.
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Eyre → ’ → condition
He tells blunt-humoured stage door manager Linda (Monica Dolan) the spot is a sinus infection; “To breathe or not to breathe,” she quips (one of endless Hamlet references, all of them perfectly placed).
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all → tell → them
However, the gay costume guy can tell Charleson has scarily shrunk in size: “Do you have a good doctor?”
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you → tell → doctor
Tragedy is looming heavily, but there’s a never-ending pulse of joy between Colman and Scott.
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Tragedy → loom → Colman
“If you are going to play this part, there’ll be no more talk of death,” she demands.
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she → go → death
“That might be tricky,” he retorts.
uncertain
he → retort → ?
“What about urine?" she asks him at the clinic.
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she → ask → clinic
“I’m fine with this coffee, thanks.
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I → ’m → coffee
When the trauma does come, it’s almost unbearably moving.
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it → come → ?
It’s hard to watch the crushingly beautiful moment between Charleson and his dying friend Georgie (Luke Thompson) without physically quivering with emotion.
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It → ’ → emotion
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Firebrand Jarman returns with a blisteringly political call for Charleson to go public about his condition, while Peter Mullan appears briefly (for another tsunami of tears) as Charleson’s father.
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Mullan → read → father
Did Charleson make it through any performances of Hamlet while dancing with death?
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Charleson → make → death
You can look it up or preferably just watch this film.
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You → look → film
As he says, “I wanted to scale the heights.”
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I → say → heights
And in Elsinore, Andrew Scott reaches highs seldom witnessed on cinema screens.
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Scott → reach → screens
The Aporia
