English
English
2 hr 50 min with interval
Language
Currency
4.7
Martin DavisUnited Kingdom
The performance was excellent.It was a very hot evening . The Duke of Yorks theatre was airconditioned and very comfortable in the Stalls were I was sitting. The content of the play itself was not always easy to follow. There was some good humour. The actors were excellent.
It was my first Tom Stoppard play .Arcadia is said to be one of his best.
Arcadia Tickets
DURATION
CLOSING DATE
Until September 12, 2026
AGE LIMIT
Suitable for 14+ yrs
from
£25
Booking for 10 or more?
Save up to 57% with group discounts and get dedicated guest support.
Get group discount
AboutVenueTicketsReviews
Why watch Arcadia Tickets ?
- Arcadia play in London spans two eras in one English country house where gifted prodigies and scholars retrace the universe's discoveries and uncover their own desires.
- Written by Tom Stoppard (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, The Real Thing) and directed by Carrie Cracknell, this revival balances intellect and emotion with Stoppard’s signature wit.
- The 1993 premiere at London’s National Theatre won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play, establishing Arcadia as one of modern theatre’s defining works.
- With refined design by Alex Eales and costumes by Suzanne Cave, the production reveals how logic, love, and time intersect. Book your Arcadia London tickets now!
Arcadia is widely regarded as one of Tom Stoppard’s finest works, which premiered in 1993 and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play. The version at the Old Vic Theatre marks a major London staging of the piece, directed by Carrie Cracknell. In this production, a country house becomes the setting for two stories: in 1809 a brilliant young scholar investigates the universe’s structure; in the present day, two academics probe the same estate for hidden clues. The show explores how knowledge accumulates, how memory works, and how desire disrupts ordered thought. Stoppard’s dialogue balances wit and depth, science and feeling, showing that the search for proof is also a search for meaning.
Storyline
In 1809 at Sidley Park, Thomasina Coverly, only 13, begins to grasp ideas about mathematics and the heat-death of the universe. Meanwhile, her tutor, Septimus Hodge, navigates social games, duels and questions of form and function. Two centuries later, at the same estate, scholar Hannah Jarvis and literature professor Bernard Nightingale investigate its mysteries through manuscripts and grouse counts. As both eras unfold on the same stage, the play invites you to consider whether knowledge is fixed or fleeting, whether love and desire belong in a laboratory of ideas, and whether the past ever really leaves us. Arcadia play in London offer the chance to witness a play where science, poetry and emotion intersect.
Show timings
Show timings for Arcadia Tickets may vary every week. You can check the show timings for your preferred date at the next stage of booking.
Cast & crew
- Writer: Tom Stoppard
- Director: Carrie Cracknell
- Set design: Alex Eales
- Costume design: Suzanne Cave
- Lighting design: Guy Hoare
- Sound design: Donato Wharton
- Movement: Ira Mandela Siobhan
- Composer: Stuart Earl
Note: Producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.
Note: Producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays.
Age & content guide
- This show is suitable for ages 14 years and above.
- Age suitability recommendations are just suggestions. So, trust your judgment when booking tickets for any show, and enjoy!
Duke of York’s Theatre Read more
The Duke of York's Theatre is located at 104 St Martin's Lane, London WC2N, near Leicester Square and Charing Cross. The venue was founded in 1892 as the Trafalgar Square Theatre, famously renaming in 1895 to honor King George V. This theatre features an intimate, ornate Louis XV-style auditorium across three tiers—historic for originally featuring real fireplaces. Celebrated for hosting intense drama over large musicals, its legendary stage saw the 1904 world premiere of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and a young Charlie Chaplin’s West End debut.
Getting there
- Address: St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4BG, United Kingdom
- Tube: Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines) or Charing Cross (Northern and Bakerloo lines) are both a 3-minute walk away.
- Bus: Lines 24, 29, and 176 stop directly on Charing Cross Road/St Martin's Lane nearby.
Facilities & accessibility
Available facilities: elevator, restrooms, cloakroom, gift shop, Bar
Accessibility: wheelchair accessible, hearing assistance, access performances, accessible restrooms, step-free access, Wheelchair accessible, companion seats
Additional information
- Security: To ensure your comfort and security, you might encounter a few security checks when you arrive at the venue.
- Dress code: Smart casual or semi-formal attire is the way to go.
- Outside food: While outside food isn't usually allowed, many theaters have cafes or restaurants nearby for you to check out before or after the show.
Tickets redemption
- You’ll get an instant email confirmation right after you book your tickets.
- Enjoy a hassle-free entrance to the venue by showing your mobile ticket and a valid photo ID – no printout necessary!
Cancellation & refunds
- Tickets cannot be refunded, amended, or rescheduled.
Ratings & reviews
4.7
6 ratings
4
2
0
0
0
Martin
Jun 2026Verified booking
The performance was excellent.It was a very hot evening . The Duke of Yorks theatre was airconditioned and very comfortable in the Stalls were I was sitting. The content of the play itself was not always easy to follow. There was some good humour. The actors were excellent. It was my first Tom Stoppard play .Arcadia is said to be one of his best.
Marguerite
Jun 2026Verified booking
Thoroughly enjoyed Arcadia. The dialogue was crisp, witty of course and perfectly delivered. Cast timing especially for moments of humor was impeccable. It was great seeing g so many young people in attendance and talking about all the topics raised in the play.
Natalia
Mar 2026Verified booking
My first encounter with plays of Mr Stoppard was in the early 2000s, when The Coast of Utopia was staged in Moscow where I lived back then. I've come prepared, having read the play and some professional reviews. This time I've come to watch Arcadia - and have not done much homework: I knew what the main ideas were but not much more. So it was mostly my fault that I've got lost very quickly in quick and loud conversations full of jokes and innuendoes. The cast was brilliant but for me they were all trying too hard to outsmart and impress each other, almost as if they kept forgetting that I was there. Only later on I realised that Valentine's monologues were the essential ones to convey the most important ideas and put together the stories of past and present, and also that Tomasina is not just a spoiled little idiot but a bright young scholar. I guess, for me the accents during the play were a bit misleading or missing altogether. The underlying storyline sort of drowned in too many silly jokes at the beginning. However, when I did some reading afterwards, I realised that I had watched a very curious play with a level of depth I couldn't quite appreciate at once. So thank you for the amazing experience: the play has been opening up for me for days after I have seen it. I'll come back for more!
Volodymyr
Feb 2026Verified booking
Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia at the Old Vic is an intellectually exhilarating and emotionally resonant production that captures the play’s delicate balance between wit and melancholy. The staging is elegantly restrained, allowing Stoppard’s language—by turns razor-sharp and deeply humane—to take center stage. The cast navigates the dense mathematical and philosophical exchanges with impressive clarity, while sustaining the undercurrent of longing that binds the past and present timelines together. Particularly striking is how the production renders entropy not merely as a scientific concept, but as a quiet meditation on time, knowledge, and irreversibility. The result is a performance that feels both cerebral and intimate—an evening that rewards close attention and lingers well after the final scene. Oh, and the theater was too hot.
Robert
Feb 2026Verified booking
Thoughtful play, great acting Reading the program before the play helps follow the references Sometimes hard to hear the actors
More reads
Frequently asked questions about Arcadia Tickets
What age is the play appropriate for?
The play does not have a strict age limit. However, it is most suitable for children aged 14 years and above.
Where is the show playing in London?
The show is playing at the Old Vic Theatre in London.
What is Arcadia play in London about?
It tells parallel stories across two centuries in one English country house: a teenage prodigy in 1809 and scholars in the present day, both driven by curiosity about the universe and human nature.
Who wrote Arcadia, and when did it first premiere?
Written by Tom Stoppard, the play first premiered in April 1993 at the National Theatre in London.
What major awards has the play received?
The original 1993 production won the Olivier Award for Best New Play, and the play is often cited among the most significant contemporary English-language dramas.
What themes will I see in the play?
The play explores themes of knowledge vs. mystery, the passage of time, determinism vs. chance, and the complexity of human desire, all within a framework of witty, intelligent dialogue.