20 December 2025
Newsdesk
The London theatrical calendar for 2026 is off to a brilliant start as The Old Vic offers a first look at rehearsals for its upcoming revival of Sir Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia. Running from January 24 to March 21, this production marks a significant milestone: despite the play’s celebrated history since its 1993 premiere, this will be the first time Arcadia has ever been staged at The Old Vic.
An Intimate Experience "In The Round"
In a bold move for Artistic Director Matthew Warchus’ final season, the theatre will be transformed into an "In The Round" configuration. This intimate seating arrangement will surround the stage, placing the audience at the heart of the play’s intellectual and emotional crossfire. Under the direction of Carrie Cracknell, the production aims to heighten the "unstoppable pull between chaos and order" that defines Stoppard’s masterpiece.
A World Between Two Centuries
Arcadia is a story of brilliant minds and burning hearts. Set in a country house across two distinct timelines, it follows a 19th-century teenage prodigy, Thomasina Coverly (Isis Hainsworth), as she discovers the mathematics of the universe, while the adults around her succumb to the very human passions that reason cannot explain. In the present day, scholars Hannah Jarvis (Leila Farzad) and Bernard Nightingale (Prasanna Puwanarajah) chase the ghosts of that past, hunting for truth, proof, and perhaps each other.
The Ensemble and Creative Team
The powerhouse cast includes:
Seamus Dillane as Septimus Hodge
Fiona Button as Lady Croom
Angus Cooper as Valentine Coverly
Gabriel Akuwudike as Richard Noakes
Holly Godliman as Chloë Coverly
Matthew Steer as Ezra Chater
The creative vision is rounded out by Set Designer Alex Eales, Costume Designer Suzanne Cave, and Composer Stuart Earl.
With Press Night scheduled for Wednesday, February 4, tickets are already on sale. This revival promises to be a definitive event, capturing the wit, heat, and heartbreak of a play that remains, in every sense, ahead of its time.
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Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
