A HAMPSTEAD THEATRE PRODUCTION

LAWRENCE AFTER ARABIA

By HOWARD BRENTON
Directed by JOHN DOVE

Running time: 2 hours and 10 minutes including interval

£10 - £35 (See ticket information)
Limited availability

In God’s name man, you’re Lawrence of Arabia! The public won’t let you be anything else, no one will let you be anything else

Main Stage

28 Apr - 4 Jun 2016
£10 - £35

Box Office: 020 7722 9301

Details

★★★★ 'A quiet masterpiece' The Telegraph
★★★★ 'The genius here is that it feels as if we have been given that access, a magic window to see what really happened to Lawrence after Arabia' The Times
★★'I rather loved it' WhatsOnStage
★★★★ 'Beautifully paced and splendidly cast' Sunday Express
★★★★ 'Clever and engaging' The Sunday Telegraph

August, 1922. The most famous man in England has vanished without a trace: T.E. Lawrence has completely disappeared. But in the idyllic calm of the village of Ayot St Lawrence, on the top floor of the home of Mr and Mrs Bernard Shaw, the ‘uncrowned King of Arabia’ is hiding – with slabs of homemade carrot cake for comfort.

Wearied by his romanticised persona and worldwide fame, disgusted with his country and himself, Lawrence is craving normality. But when you’re a brilliant archaeologist, scholar, linguist, writer and diplomat – as well as a legendary desert warrior – how can you ever be normal? And beyond the Shaws’ garden wall, nobody cares how he feels: England just wants its hero back. Can he ever return?


Howard Brenton’s new play, commissioned to mark the centenary of the start of the Arab revolt, finds Lawrence trapped in his love/hate relationship with the limelight, tormented by ghosts and haunted by broken promises.

Brenton makes a highly anticipated return to Hampstead following the critically acclaimed historical epics Drawing the Line55 Days and The Arrest of Ai Weiwei.

John Dove is a regular collaborator of Howard Brenton, having directed his plays In Extremis, the award-winning Anne Boleyn and Dr Scroggy’s War (all Shakespeare’s Globe). 

Jack Laskey will play T.E. Lawrence while Jeff Rawle will play George Bernard Shaw and Geraldine James will star as Charlotte Shaw. The full cast includes Sam Alexander, William Chubb, Khalid Laith and Rosalind March.

Reviews
  • The Times

    'We always think of Lawrence of Arabia, the man in the flowing robes, astride a camel, in the desert. Now, thanks to this new play by Howard Brenton, we know what happened after Arabia.'

    'I found it fascinating, probably because Brenton does not attempt to tell a great sweep of history but, far more interesting, the messy aftermath.'

    'The genius here is that it feels as if we have been given that access, a magic window to see what really happened to Lawrence after Arabia.'

    Lawrence After Arabia review
    ,
  • The Telegraph

    'It’s 100 years since the beginning of the Arab Revolt that Lawrence so fiercely supported, and which promised freedom for the Middle Eastern lands – a promise, which, Brenton argues, was betrayed by the British and French and which has led to the terrorist atrocities which haunt the Western world today.'
    ' A quiet masterpiece.'
    'The evocation of the crazed life in the Shaw home is clever and engaging. Laskey, as Lawrence, exudes youthful gung-ho'
    'Geraldine James brings intense emotion as Mrs Shaw, while Jeff Rawle, rubicund and bearded, is an aphorism-spouting Shaw'
    'The skill of the play is that it doesn’t make you think; it lets you think.'

     

    'Lawrence After Arabia is a quiet, but highly topical, masterpiece'
    ,
  • Sunday Express

    'Howard Brenton’s richly wrought Lawrence After Arabia'

    'In a coup de theatre the walls of Michael Taylor’s lovingly detailed recreation of Shaw’s study fly open to reveal the vast vista of the Arabian desert'

    'John Dove’s production is beautifully paced and splendidly cast. Jack Laskey, physically slight but emotionally commanding, makes a deeply sympathetic Lawrence. Jeff Rawle gives Shaw an authentic and engaging twinkle.'

    'Best of all is Geraldine James, bringing her trademark blend of clarity and sincerity to the role of Charlotte.'

    Lawrence After Arabia review
    ,
  • WhatsOnStage

    'Brenton's Lawrence After Arabia turns the pages of the past to mark T.E. Lawrence's passionate advocacy of the Arabian cause – and make the point that in carving up the Middle East for its own ends, Britain laid the foundations of the region's current problems. And so of its own.'

    'Lawrence (sensitively played by Jack Laskey) is seeking to reinvent himself, and takes refuge in the home of George Bernard Shaw (Jeff Rawle, very funny)... Geraldine James luminously suggests the depth of Charlotte's care for both men'

    'It's also full of wonderful, zinging lines, and a sharp-eyed observation of the collision between Bohemian values and establishment rules.'

    Lawrence After Arabia review
    ,
  • The Sunday Telegraph

    'TE Lawrence's days of derring-do during the First World War are long gone and the soldier-turned-writer (played by the gung-ho Jack Laskey) is seeking anonymity'

    'The evocation of life in the Shaw home is clever and engaging'

    'Geraldine James brings intense emotion as Shaw's wife.'

    Lawrence After Arabia review
    ,
Cast

Artistic team

WRITER

HOWARD BRENTON

DIRECTOR

JOHN DOVE

DESIGNER

MICHAEL TAYLOR

LIGHTING

MARK DOUBLEDAY

SOUND

JOHN LEONARD

COMPOSER

PHILIP PINSKY

CASTING

CROWLEY POOLE

Cast

News

Lawrence After Arabia: ★★★★ from The Sunday Telegraph

Posted on 19 May 2016

Tim Auld awards Lawrence After Arabia four stars

A Cup of Tea With... Lawrence After Arabia's Jack Laskey

Posted on 17 May 2016

We chat to Jack Laskey about the challenges of playing a legend, embarrassing moments and the joys of Hampstead Heath

Lawrence After Arabia: ★★★★ from The Sunday Express

Posted on 15 May 2016

Michael Arditti awards Lawrence After Arabia four stars

Ham & High interviews Lawrence After Arabia's Geraldine James

Posted on 10 May 2016

Bridget Galton interviews Geraldine James for Ham & High

'Lawrence of Arabia: New play tackles man behind movie image'

Posted on 9 May 2016

By Vincent Dowd for BBC News

Lawrence After Arabia: ★★★★ from The Times

Posted on 6 May 2016

Ann Treneman awards Lawrence After Arabia four stars

Lawrence After Arabia: ★★★★ from WhatsOnStage

Posted on 6 May 2016

Sarah Crompton awards Lawrence After Arabia four stars

Lawrence After Arabia: Press Night photos

Posted on 6 May 2016

Photos taken by Alice Boagey

Lawrence After Arabia: ★★★★ from The Telegraph

Posted on 6 May 2016

Tim Auld awards Lawrence After Arabia four stars

The Evening Standard interviews Howard Brenton

Posted on 5 May 2016

Robert Dex interviews Lawrence After Arabia writer Howard Brenton

'Lawrence of Arabia: a man in flight from himself' - William Boyd for The Guardian

Posted on 5 May 2016

As Howard Brenton’s play about TE Lawrence opens in London, William Boyd discovers that the truth about this complicated man is more elusive and interesting than the Hollywood myth

Listen to Howard Brenton on BBC's Front Row

Posted on 5 May 2016

Howard Brenton discusses his latest play Lawrence After Arabia with John Wilson

Lawrence After Arabia: Production photos

Posted on 3 May 2016

Photos taken by Alastair Muir

Listen to Howard Brenton on BBC's Free Thinking

Posted on 28 April 2016

Playwright Howard Brenton and director Adrian Noble discuss stage plays drawing on the life of TE Lawrence.

At home with George Bernard Shaw: Life at Shaw's Corner

Posted on 18 April 2016

A look inside the famed writer's home, which is the setting for Howard Brenton's Lawrence After Arabia

Full cast announced for Lawrence after Arabia

Posted on 5 April 2016

Full cast announced for Howard Brenton's latest play

Who's who in Lawrence after Arabia?

Posted on 4 April 2016

Find out more about the real life people who inspired the characters in Howard Brenton's new play

10 Things You May Not Know About T. E. Lawrence

Posted on 1 April 2016

Find out a little more about Lawrence of Arabia who inspired Howard Brenton's new play Lawrence after Arabia from history.com

10 Questions with Howard Brenton

Posted on 2 March 2016

We interview Howard Brenton, writer of Lawrence After Arabia

Two new Main Stage shows announced

Posted on 18 February 2016

Priority Booking for Friends and Patrons is now open for both shows.

Tickets

Previews, Mondays and matinees 
Full price: £28/£25/£18
Under 30s/Students: £15/£10* 
Seniors (matinees only): £20/£18/£15
Groups: For every 9 tickets get the 10th free
Access: £15

Tuesday – Saturday evenings 
Full price: £35/£30/£25
Under 30s/Students: £15/£10* 
Groups: For every 9 tickets get the 10th free
Access: £15

*Under 30s and Student concession seats are available in rows A (£15) & Q (£10)

Audio described performance:
28 May at 3pm, with a touch tour at 1.30pm

Captioned performance:
2 June at 7.30pm, with a transcribed post show discussion

Video and Image Gallery

Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw) Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw)
Sam Alexander (Lowell Thomas) Sam Alexander (Lowell Thomas)
Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence) Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence)
Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw) Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw)
Khalid Laith (Prince Feisal) and Kai Spellman (Mohammed Abdullah) Khalid Laith (Prince Feisal) and Kai Spellman (Mohammed Abdullah)
Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw), William Chubb (Allenby) and Gerladine James (Charlotte Shaw) Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw), William Chubb (Allenby) and Gerladine James (Charlotte Shaw)
Rosalind March (Blanche Patch) Rosalind March (Blanche Patch)
William Chubb (Field Marshall Edmund Allenby) William Chubb (Field Marshall Edmund Allenby)
Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence) Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence)
Rosalind March (Blanche Patch) Rosalind March (Blanche Patch)
Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw) Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw)
Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw) and Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw) Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw) and Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw)
Sam Alexander (Lowell Thomas) Sam Alexander (Lowell Thomas)
Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence) Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence)
Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw), William Chubb (Edmund Allenby) and Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw) Geraldine James (Charlotte Shaw), William Chubb (Edmund Allenby) and Jeff Rawle (George Bernard Shaw)
Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence) and Khalid Laith (Prince Fiesal) Jack Laskey (T.E. Lawrence) and Khalid Laith (Prince Fiesal)
Howard Brenton (Writer) and Will Featherstone (Assistant Director) Howard Brenton (Writer) and Will Featherstone (Assistant Director)

KEEPING YOU SAFE AT HAMPSTEAD

1 Social Distanced 1

RESPECT PERSONAL SPACE

2 MASKS REQUIRED 1

FACE MASKS ENCOURAGED

4 STATE OF THE ART VENTILATION 1

STATE OF THE ART VENTILATION

5 ENHANCED CLEANING 1

ENHANCED CLEANING

7 CONTACTLESS TICKETS 1

CONTACTLESS TICKETS

8 HAND SANITIZING STATIONS 2

HAND SANITISING STATIONS

9 CASHLESS PAYMENT 1

CASHLESS PAYMENT