THE jewel in the Lighthouse's autumn crown arrives next week when world-renowned theatrical director Yukio Ninagawa brings his adaptation of Hamlet to the Dorset venue.

Its scheduling is something of a coup for the venue, the largest arts centre outside the capital, as the play is only opening in seven theatres outside London.

As well as having a top-flight director, Hamlet is also boosted by a stellar cast including Peter Egan as Claudius, Frances Tomelty as Gertrude and Robert Demeger as Polonius.

The weight of the title role is borne by 47-year-old Michael Maloney, who jumped at the chance of playing the doomed prince."It is such a fascinating play," he says. "There are layers and layers that you keep peeling back and discovering. Although you can do that with most plays, this one is especially intricate.

"I think it's also about how receptive and flexible you are, how you can give of yourself and be honest."

This is not the first time that Michael has entered Shakespeare territory and the third time that he has won a part in Hamlet.

He was Rosencrantz in Mel Gibson's acclaimed film of the play and also appeared as the prince of Denmark alongside the cream of British acting talent in Kenneth Branagh's In The Bleak Midwinter, about a group of desperate and disparate thesps staging Hamlet.

Michael also appeared in Ninagawa's version of King Lear, which had Nigel Hawthorne in the lead role and toured the UK and Japan to rave notices.

Ninagawa is one of the world's greatest theatre directors alongside Peter Brook and Ariane Mnouchkine. His style fuses eastern culture with western classics and is highly stylised with emphasis on light, space and spectacle.

"He is simply the greatest director in the world," says Michael. "He creates these amazing pictures for the actors into which you can fit. I have worked with him before and it was the most remarkable experience and I didn't think it would be possible to work with him again, so it is wonderful to have this chance.

"I do regret though that we won't be taking this to Japan. That was an incredible experience - and you have the back-up of about 250 people because they have larger budgets than we do over here.

"But this Hamlet is very special and I am working with a great company of actors.

"Although it is quite a difficult play, I think the people in it are at the top of their game so that's not a problem. I tore a calf muscle in rehearsals and had to sit at the side of the stage for the run-throughs and I was so excited watching the play. And Peter Egan is just terrific, the sort of actor anyone would love to have in their company."

Michael studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and first impinged on the public's conscience in the quirky romantic tear-jerker Truly, Madly, Deeply starring Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson.

Since then he has made a name for himself both on stage and screen and was last seen on television in Messiah 3, just one of the brilliant pieces of British programme-making that he is so proud of.

"You still come across great writing and comedy on British television and film and the same goes for radio," says Michael.

"We are very lucky over here because we can work in the different media, whereas somewhere like America you specialise and are pigeonholed. Maybe it's because we are a smaller country with a smaller acting community.

"But we have a very high quality here, great actors and great writers."

Hamlet is at the Lighthouse, Poole from Tuesday to Saturday, October 19 to 23 with performances at 7.30pm and Saturday and Wednesday matinees at 2.30. Tickets are £17.50 for evening shows, £12 for matinees - call 01202 685222.