A group of travelling actors arrive at the court. Hamlet
asks them to perform a play in which a king is murdered
by his nephew. He hopes that the story, which is similar to
the murder of his father by Claudius, will force Claudius to
betray his guilt. Hamlet is right: Claudius is upset by the
play. Hamlet is summoned to his mother’s room, where he
angrily criticises her for her hasty marriage. He accidentally
kills Polonius, who is hiding behind a curtain, believing him
to be Claudius.