To be or not to be an actress

Samantha Whittaker thought she had fluffed her audition for the part of Ophelia

She is due at her university English lectures this morning - but she won't be turning up.

However, Samantha Whittaker's absence is not, as one might assume of a firstyear undergraduate, because she is sleeping it off after one beer too many in the student union.

The real reason is that Miss Whittaker, 19, has landed the plum role of Ophelia in a new production of Hamlet directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, and rehearsals begin today.

For the unknown actress it is a huge coup that could lead to fame and fortune. But there is a price: she has had to drop out of university.

Thankfully, Miss Whittaker has already done more than half of this year's course at University College London so - providing she took good notes - resitting should not be too much of a problem.

When she went to audition for the part, Miss Whittaker thought she hadn't a hope - because Sir Trevor laughed her out of the room.

"I did a speech for him, and he redirected it. Then he laughed at me and said 'thanks for coming'. I thought I'd done horribly badly. But the next day I heard I'd got it - I couldn't believe it."

Sir Trevor's Hamlet opens at the Old Vic in April, and stars the highly rated Ben Whishaw, 23, as the existentially challenged Danish Prince.

Miss Whittaker grew up in Bourne End near Maidenhead where she first grew interested in acting at her local drama club.

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