First staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966, 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead' is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy which expands the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', the courtiers Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The action of Stoppard's play takes place mainly 'in the wings' of Shakespeare's, with brief appearances of major characters from 'Hamlet' who enact fragments of the original's scenes. Between these episodes the two protagonists voice their confusion at the progress of events of which - occurring onstage without them in 'Hamlet' - they have no direct knowledge.