CONTEMPORARY dance is coming to Newton Abbot Museum this weekend in the groundbreaking form of a feminist reimagining of Shakespeare's Hamlet.

The two free performances of Ophelia on Saturday (February 1) are being staged by the Exeter-based Chhaya Collective with Kay Crook as Ophelia and Sean Moss as Hamlet.

It will feature a community cast from the town alongside the Chhaya Youth Dance Company.

Choreographed by Kay Crook and co-directed with Aileen Gonsalves, the organisers said Ophelia ‘gives voice to a woman whose story has been overshadowed for centuries. At its heart lies the deep yet fragile love between Ophelia and Hamlet, a bond marked by tenderness, betrayal and tragedy.’

The show promises to chart Ophelia’s journey, her struggles, strength and ‘reclamation of power in a world that sought to define and diminish her’.

The action will move throughout the building, starting upstairs in the community rooms before moving into the main exhibition space.

Accompanying the performance will be Women in Waves, a visual art exhibition featuring commissioned works by Jeannie Clarke and local artists.

It aims to explore ‘the symbolic relationship between women and water, creating a rich dialogue with the themes of the production.’

Curator Dr Charlotte Dixon said: ‘This is something completely new to us and comes after the Chhaya Collective contacted us to say they’d received a grant from the Teignbridge Arts Project to stage a performance in a cultural venue.

‘Ophelia is based around Hamlet’s love letter and we have an 18th century example on display so the performance here is very appropriate.

‘It’s all very exciting and the first time we will have staged anything like this.’

Performances are due to take place at 2pm and 5pm.