Ticket forgers target Hamlet

The popular production of Hamlet starring David Tennant has been targeted by counterfeiters, the Royal Shakespeare Company said today.

The play starring the Doctor Who actor, which has already done sell-out business for the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, moves to London's West End on Wednesday.

Organisers were alerted after some sophisticated-looking copies of tickets were presented at the Novello Theatre's box office last week.

The tickets were forgeries of those issued by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres (DMT), which runs the Novello Theatre.

The scale of the problem is unclear but tickets are being re-issued to avoid chaos.

Vikki Heywood, executive director of the RSC, said the company was "extremely concerned".

She continued: "Our main priority is that genuine RSC ticket-buyers are protected and to this end DMT have issued new secure ticket stock.

"We are confident that this will ensure legitimate RSC audiences get to their rightful seats."

A spokeswoman for the RSC said such an incident involving had not happened to the Company before.

The Metropolitan Police did not believe the force had not been alerted to the incident.