National Theatre’s THE MOTIVE AND THE CUE to transfer to the West End

Photo credit: Mark Douet

Following a sold out run at the National Theatre, their critically acclaimed new play The Motive and the Cue by Jack Thorne will transfer to the Noel Coward Theatre from 9 December 2023 - 23 March 2024.

Inspired by the making of Burton and Gielgud’s Hamlet, the play is directed by Sam Mendes.

Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss and Tuppence Middleton will return to play the iconic roles of Richard Burton, John Gielgud and Elizabeth Taylor. Further casting is to be announced.

Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

The production has set design by Es Devlin, with costumes by Katrina Lindsay, lighting by Jon Clark, composition by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound by Paul Arditti, and casting by Alastair Coomer CDG and Naomi Downham.

The Motive and the Cue is currently playing to sold-out audiences in the Lyttelton theatre until 15 July.

National Theatre Director and Chief Executive Rufus Norris said: “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’s 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. We’re so excited to have multiple productions transferring from the National Theatre to the West End this year, testament to the appetite of audiences for live theatre. Motive has been playing to packed houses at the NT all summer and we are thrilled that there will now be more opportunities for a new audience to see Jack’s great play.”

Tickets are on sale from 12pm today (30 June) here.