The Master himself, Doctor Who guest star John Simm, is set to deliver his own version of Hamlet to audiences in Sheffield in September 2010 following a multi-million pound development of the city’s theatre.

Hamlet is, it seems, the most popular of Shakespeare’s works these days, with first David Tennant, then serial scoundrel Jude Law making headlines with the title role.

You may know the Crucible Theatre as the venue for the World Snooker Championships that take place every April/May – but it’s also an actual performing venue with several big names appearing every year. Sir Ian McKellen is on there tonight, just to illustrate that fact.

Daniel Evans, artistic director of the Sheffield Crucible, said:

“When a major actor like John comes along, who people know for his brilliant TV work, it is a privilege to make it happen,” he said.

“Paul [Miller, associate director of the Sheffield theatres] and John have this brilliant long-standing relationship and he knew immediately that who his ideal Hamlet would be.

“It is potentially a very scary role, but it has become one of those roles that every major actor leaps through. It can be a test of your mettle.”

Interestingly Simm revealed earlier this year to the Independent that he was “trying to find a way to do Hamlet.”

By collaborating with Paul Miller (with whom Simm was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in 2007′s Elling) it looks like he found it.