Alan Ayckbourn is back in the round
‘I haven’t got any problems.’ – ‘Never mind, we’ll soon invent some.’
The Old Vic announced the full cast for Alan Ayckbourn’s 1969 play How the Other Half Loves directed by Phillip Breen.
Three couples, two homes, one laugh-out-loud domestic farce.
When Fiona Foster and Bob Phillips are each accused of having an affair by their spouses, they use the innocent and unsuspecting Featherstones as an alibi, dragging them into a web of chaos and confusion. As the lives of the three couples intertwine, the lies deepen and mayhem ensues in one of theatre’s most entertaining comedies.
The play that cemented Alan Ayckbourn as one of Britain’s greatest modern playwrights, How the Other Half Lovesis a raucous take on sex, class and marital misunderstanding.
Joining the previously announced Roger Allam as Frank Foster and Dorothy Atkinson as Fiona Foster, is Ayesha Antoine as Teresa Phillips, Laura Elsworthy as Mary Featherstone, Adam Gillen as William Featherstone and Rowan Polonski as Bob Phillips.
Director Phillip Breen said, ‘I’m so excited about a new generation of audiences experiencing Ayckbourn for the first time, with its big laughs and its deep sadnesses. Alan Ayckbourn is not only one of the English stage’s most brilliant comedians, but one of its great formal pioneers, too. How the Other Half Loves is the first time Ayckbourn plays around with theatre’s two essential building blocks, space and time — and the result is thrilling.’
In Artistic Director Matthew Warchus’ final Season, all productions will take place completely In The Round, forming an intimate seating configuration that surrounds the stage.
Old Vic from 29 Jul–19 Sep 2026.
Booking and full details: https://www.oldvictheatre.com/
