Director Gregory Doran said, 'André Tchaikowsky's skull was a very important part of our production of Hamlet, and despite all the hype about him, he meant a great deal to the company. However, this was a deception in fact, the skull was used throughout the production's West End run, and in a subsequent television adaptation broadcast on BBC2. After the use of Tchaikowsky's skull was revealed in the press, this production of Hamlet moved to the West End and the RSC announced that they would no longer use Tchaikowsky's skull (a spokesman said that it would be 'too distracting for the audience'). In 2008, the skull was finally held by David Tennant in a series of performances of Hamlet at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

For many years, no actor or director felt comfortable using a real skull in performances, although it was occasionally used in rehearsals. Each one of her lines is delivered to perfection. Patrick Stewart in his second turn as Claudius is jaw-droppingly good, and Penny Downie’s Gertrude is just fabulous. It’s nuanced, often scary, heartbreaking, and just perfect. Tchaikowsky hoped that his skull would be used for the skull of Yorick in productions of Hamlet. His take on the role is nothing short of incredible. In his will he left his body to medical research, and donated his skull to the Royal Shakespeare Company, asking that it be used as a prop on stage. Tchaikowsky died of colon cancer at the age of 46 in Oxford.

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