I don't pretend to know how popular TS is in the EU member states. I suppose her tour numbers in those countries would hint at it. She's very well known here and well-known enough in general that TH decided to showmance with her - presumably to raise his profile. And a quick search of his name with hers on twitter tells me that they are still a package deal. He's not yet shook her off [I did a thing there ;)]. Yes his fans aren't going to mention TS, but her fans and those who only know them through Tayto will.

I don't know about how he thinks Hamlet is going to affect his HW career. I think that is second on the docket in terms of clean-up. But I agree with NewAnon >>890 (and others on the board) that this is meant to re-cred TH in terms of being a serious actor. The rehabilitation has nothing to do with fans, it comes from the choice of play, the venue, the short run (making it a hot ticket) and the charity aspect. They all scream actor who cares, not famewhore who showmanced - disastrously.

And I think its main purpose can be seen if we look at it in context. It was part of a trifecta which didn't come off. There was the Cannes conference which was all about being creative and artistic. Then there was the Camb. union speech which we think was going to be about Unicef. Those didn't happen for various reasons but suggest that he's going in like a D-5 on creative, serious, charitable, back to his roots.

NewAnon, I think you live on the west coast. Are you in the biz?