Andrew Scott stars in "Elsinore," Simon Stone's film about the final year in the life of Scottish actor Ian Charleson, who died of AIDS-related causes in 1990 aged 40. Best known internationally for Chariots of Fire, Charleson is portrayed as pouring himself into a celebrated National Theatre run as Hamlet even as his health deteriorated, and the review praises Scott's dual performance as both emotionally devastating and true to the theatre world's camaraderie.

The film centres on Charleson taking over the role of Hamlet at the National Theatre after Daniel Day-Lewis abruptly walked off stage in 1989, going on to give 24 performances despite his declining health, informing director Richard Eyre (fictionalised as "Richard," played by Johnny Flynn) of his HIV-positive status beforehand. Written by Stephen Beresford, the script blends warmth and humour drawn from backstage theatre life with a wider portrait of London during the height of the AIDS crisis, featuring supporting turns including Monica Dolan as stage door supervisor Linda Tolhurst and Olivia Colman.