 With the heightened interest in Shakespeare, and in particular "Hamlet", that had been aroused by Smithson's performances at the Odéon, he decided to prepare a new French translation of the play to be presented at his Théâtre Historique.An earlier verse translation of "Hamlet" into French by Jean-François Ducis, first performed in 1769, was still being given at the Comédie-Française, and Dumas knew the leading role by heart.The Ducis play bore very little resemblance to the Shakespeare original.