TO be or not to be......the question is does Maxine Peake convince as Hamlet?

She is without doubt, one of the most gifted actors of her generation as she's highly watchable in the world's greatest play.

Dressed like a worker from an old style Communist state, as Hamlet she's as good at playing playful as she as at being tormented by the untimely murder of her father.

The Royal Exchange Theatre has transported the tragedy to an unspecified modern setting and it works, although I was somewhat mystified by the decision to change the gender of the meddling windbag Polonius. In this production Polonius becomes Polonia.

But thanks to Gillian Bevan's beautifully understated performance I soon forgot and forgave the change. Bevan does a nice line inbewilderment, as Polonia tries to make sense of Hamlet's increasingly bizarre behaviour.

At three hours and 20 minutes, including the interval, this production may sound like something of a marathon but the first half flew by.

At two hours that's some achievement for director Sarah Franckom who has managed to bring a freshness, a modernity to this grand old play.

The decision to have the gravediggers deliver their lines in strong regional accents can only be described as a comedy masterstroke.

I expect this production to be a very palpable hit with audiences, especially younger students who approach the works of our greatest playwright with a gallows-like dread.

* Until October 25. The box office is on 0161 833 9833. Star rating - ***