A HAMPSTEAD THEATRE PRODUCTION
THE INVENTION OF LOVE
By TOM STOPPARD
Directed by BLANCHE MCINTYRE
Running time: Approximately 3 hours including an interval
If I had my time again, I would pay more regard to those poems of Horace which tell you you will not have your time again. Who knows how many tomorrows the gods will grant us? Now is the time, when you are young, to deck your hair with myrtle, drink the best of the wine, pluck the fruit…
Main Stage
Choose a date and select your own seats online
4 Dec 2024 - 1 Feb 2025
Box Office: 020 7722 9301
CAN'T GET TICKETS? Most performances of The Invention of Love are Sold Out or Limited Availability. Keep checking our website for returns, or join our Returns Queue in person from 6pm each day.
A E Housman is, as he understands it, finally dead. The noted Latin scholar and celebrated poet of A Shropshire Lad is being ferried across the Styx to Hades – but beyond the stygian gloom on the other side of the river he finds, to his surprise, the Oxford University of his youth. Alive with the academic debates that shaped his work and the friendships that shaped his life, this is the Oxford of Ruskin and Pater; a place still marked by the brilliance of a recently departed student called Wilde…
Tom Stoppard returns to Hampstead after the triumphant revivals of Hapgood and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Winner of eight Evening Standard, three Olivier and five Tony Awards, Stoppard’s plays include Leopoldstadt; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Arcadia.
Director Blanche McIntyre directed Botticelli in the Fire in 2019. She recently directed The Merry Wives of Windsor for the RSC and has worked extensively at The Globe; her previous credits include The House of Shades and The Writer (both Almeida) and Tartuffe (National Theatre).
BAFTA, Olivier and Tony award-winner Simon Russell Beale returns to Hampstead following the 2015 sell-out hit Mr Foote's Other Leg. His theatre credits include The Lehman Trilogy (National Theatre, West End and Broadway), King Lear and Hamlet (National Theatre) and Jumpers (West End and Broadway). His film and television work includes The Death of Stalin, The Hollow Crown, Dunkirk and House of the Dragon.
We are grateful to The Invention of Love Giving Circle who have generously supported this production: Ken & Lin Craig, Melanie J. Johnson, David & Carole Warren.
We also thank The Invention of Love Production Syndicate members for their contributions to the production: Frances Lynn, Mark & Liz Astaire, Jean-Charles & Luce Julien, Jill Hunter Matichak, Ian Kelson, Jocelyn Abbey & Tom Carney, David Dutton & Mave Turner, Neil & Florence Hasson, Claire Tremeer & Robert Reichert.
Suggested age guidance 14+
Mon 09 Dec | 19:30 | PREVIEW | Limited Availability | Book now | |
Tue 10 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Wed 11 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Thu 12 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Fri 13 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 14 Dec | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 14 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Mon 16 Dec | 19:00 | PRESS NIGHT | Sold Out | Book now | |
Tue 17 Dec | 19:30 | Sold Out | |||
Wed 18 Dec | 19:30 | Sold Out | |||
Thu 19 Dec | 14:30 | FRIENDS PLUS MATINEE | Limited Availability | Book now | |
Thu 19 Dec | 19:30 | Sold Out | |||
Fri 20 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 21 Dec | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 21 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Mon 23 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Tue 24 Dec | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Fri 27 Dec | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Fri 27 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 28 Dec | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 28 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Mon 30 Dec | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Tue 31 Dec | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Thu 02 Jan | 14:30 | Sold Out | |||
Thu 02 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Fri 03 Jan | 19:30 | Sold Out | |||
Sat 04 Jan | 14:30 | Sold Out | |||
Sat 04 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Mon 06 Jan | 19:30 | Sold Out | |||
Tue 07 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Wed 08 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Thu 09 Jan | 14:30 | Sold Out | |||
Thu 09 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Fri 10 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 11 Jan | 14:00 | Sold Out | |||
Sat 11 Jan | 19:00 | GALA PERFORMANCE | Limited Availability | Book now | |
Mon 13 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Tue 14 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Wed 15 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Thu 16 Jan | 14:30 | Sold Out | |||
Thu 16 Jan | 19:30 | PATRONS EVENING, POST SHOW DISCUSSION | Limited Availability | Book now | |
Fri 17 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 18 Jan | 14:30 | Sold Out | |||
Sat 18 Jan | 19:30 | Sold Out | |||
Mon 20 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Tue 21 Jan | 19:30 | CAPTIONED, POST SHOW DISCUSSION | Limited Availability | Book now | |
Wed 22 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Thu 23 Jan | 14:30 | Sold Out | |||
Thu 23 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Fri 24 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 25 Jan | 14:30 | AUDIO DESCRIBED | Limited Availability | Book now | |
Sat 25 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Mon 27 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Tue 28 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Wed 29 Jan | 19:30 | Book now | |||
Thu 30 Jan | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Thu 30 Jan | 19:30 | Book now | |||
Fri 31 Jan | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 01 Feb | 14:30 | Limited Availability | Book now | ||
Sat 01 Feb | 19:30 | Limited Availability | Book now |
Artistic team
WRITER
TOM STOPPARD
DIRECTOR
BLANCHE MCINTYRE
DESIGNER
MORGAN LARGE
LIGHTING DESIGNER
PETER MUMFORD
COMPOSER AND SOUND DESIGNER
MAX PAPPENHEIM
PRODUCTION MANAGER
DAVID PRITCHARD
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
POLLY BENNETT
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
MATT DANN
CASTING DIRECTOR
ANNA COOPER CDG
STAGE MANAGER
ALISON RANKIN
DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER
FIONA BARDSLEY
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
BETHANY JEFFERIES
Cast
A E Housman
SIMON RUSSELL BEALE
Oscar Wilde
DICKIE BEAU
Dr Jowett / Labouchère
STEPHEN BOXER
Pater / Harris
JONNIE BROADBENT
Pollard
SEAMUS DILLANE
Katharine Housman
FLORENCE DOBSON
Pattison / Postgate
PETER LANDI
Jackson
BEN LLOYD-HUGHES
Chamberlain / Ellis
MICHAEL MARCUS
Ruskin / Stead / Jermone K. Jerome
DOMINIC ROWAN
Housman
MATTHEW TENNYSON
Charon
ALAN WILLIAMS
SIMON RUSSELL BEALE TALKS TO THE LONDON THEATRE REVIEW PODCAST
The London Theatre Review podcast caught up with Simon Russell Beale during rehearsals about tackling Latin and poetry in Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love.
RUN EXTENDED FOR TOM STOPPARD’S THE INVENTION OF LOVE AT HAMPSTEAD THEATRE
Hampstead Theatre announces an extension to its upcoming run of Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love. Due to phenomenal demand the show will now run from 4 December 2024 to 1 February 2025.
FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR TOM STOPPARD’S THE INVENTION OF LOVE AT HAMPSTEAD THEATRE
Hampstead Theatre today unveils the full cast for its upcoming production of Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love. Directed by Blanche McIntyre the show will run at Hampstead Theatre from 4 December 2024 to 25 January 2025.
SIMON RUSSELL BEALE STARS IN TOM STOPPARD’S THE INVENTION OF LOVE AT HAMPSTEAD THEATRE
Simon Russell Beale will star as A E Housman in Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love directed by Blanche McIntyre at Hampstead Theatre from 4 December to 25 January.
Previews
Full Price: £25/£35/£45/£55
Under 30s/Students: £10
Access ½ price
Groups: For every 9 tickets get the 10th free
Monday – Saturday
Full price: £35/£45/£55/£65
Under 30s/Students: £10
Access ½ price
Seniors*: (matinees only): £26/£36/£46/£56
Groups: For every 9 tickets get the 10th free
*Ages 60+
All prices are subject to change. Book early for the best price.
Thematic: references to suicide and the use of homophobic language
Technical: use of haze and flashing lights
Please note that our content warnings evolve as the production does throughout rehearsal and previews, so there may be changes made between booking and attending the theatre. If you would like to speak to a member of our team about specific themes or concerns, please call the Box Office on 020 7722 9301 or email boxoffice@hampsteadtheatre.com