The Motive and the Cue, the new play by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's Jack Thorne that officially opened at London's National Theatre May 2, will transfer to the Noël Coward Theatre this winter. Performances will begin in the West End December 9 prior to an official opening December 18 for a limited engagement through March 23, 2024.
Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, and Tuppence Middleton will reprise their roles as Richard Burton, John Gielgud, and Elizabeth Taylor, respectively. Further casting will be announced.
Sam Mendes directs the play, which continues in the National's Lyttelton through July 15. Read the reviews here.
Inspired by the making of John Gielgud’s Hamlet, as well as Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne, the National cast also features Janie Dee as Eileen Herlie with Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams, and Michael Walters.
The Motive and the Cue focuses on Burton, who is newly married to Taylor and set to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under Gielgud’s direction. As rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.
The production also has set design by Es Devlin, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, lighting design by Jon Clark, music by composer Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound design by Paul Arditti, video design by Luke Halls, casting by Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham, and associate direction by Zoé Ford Burnett.
National Theatre Director and Chief Executive Rufus Norris says, “We’re delighted to be transferring The Motive and the Cue to the Noël Coward Theatre later this year continuing our collaboration with Neal Street Productions. Sam Mendes’ production brings the theatrical process to life so vividly, perfectly capturing that heady time in history, with Mark, Johnny, and Tuppence playing these well-loved characters with whom we are all so familiar."
For ticket information visit TheMotiveandtheCue.com.
