Review: Arcadia (Duke of York’s/Tom Stoppard Theatre)

Review by Raphael Kohn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The late Tom Stoppard is back in the West End, as the Old Vic’s revival of Arcadia opens at the newly renamed Top Stoppard Theatre (formerly the Duke of York’s Theatre) following its initial run south of the river earlier this year. They couldn’t have picked a better day to open, having announced the news that the very theatre it is playing in will be renamed in Sir Tom’s honour (following planning permission and all that jazz) mere hours before the curtain rose. Lucky Sir Tom, I think, to have the first production of the newly re-christened theatre be such a sparkling revival of Stoppard’s mesmerising masterpiece.

With a plot spanning over 200 years, more plot threads than I could count, and enough thematic complexity to prevent me from sleeping after seeing it, Arcadia is hardly a simple show. After all, its storytelling flickers from statistics to history, with plenty of philosophical debate thrown in for good measure. Set across two different time periods, Arcadia follows a teenage student in the 19^th century, uncovering secrets of mathematics and breaking new scientific ground, and a collection of researchers in the present day, extrapolating theories out of the limited evidence they can access.

What makes it so striking is not what is done, but how. Like puzzle pieces swirling around before settling neatly together, Stoppard weaves themes and clues in together like a loose mesh, allowing it to gently tighten until the final picture forms eventually. It is a remarkable work, often thought of to be Stoppard’s finest so it is hardly a surprise that it made its way to the West End after its lauded Old Vic run.

In amongst this bafflingly complex weave is also plenty of heart, humour, and soul. There’s humour right from the get-go, where the young Thomasina discovers the shocking truth about ‘carnal embrace’ (and no, it’s not making prolonged contact with a side of beef!). Throughout the modern-day scenes as well, there’s plenty of banter between the modern-day academics, served with a side of snarky remarks and jibes. Stoppard infuses the whole narrative with levity to balance the thought-provoking thematic complexity, and it’s all the better for it.

Director Carrie Cracknell does a cracking job indeed of conjuring up the world of Arcadia on the stage. Directing the play with a relatively light touch, it is exquisitely and intimately staged in the round, condensed from the Old Vic to the rather more restrictive stage of the soon-to-be Tom Stoppard Theatre. That’s not to say that it’s not meticulously done of course; the production feels detailed and warm, as if it has been made with a sincere admiration for the source material. It may be complex, but it also feels bright and accessible, perfectly interpreting Stoppard’s cryptic text for the modern day with clarity.

This is, of course, a transfer of the Old Vic production, and one that takes with it part of its original cast. As Thomasina (the teenage prodigy) and Septimus (her teacher), Isis Hainsworth and Seamus Dillane dazzle in their roles, playing off each other brilliantly with an unmatched chemistry. But joining them are equally brilliant performances from the new cast members, with particular standouts in Nikki Amuka-Bird’s measured and smart Hannah (one of the researchers) and Oliver Chris’ bullish Bernard (another researcher). Just as Stoppard’s themes spanning genres and disciplines come together in perfect harmony, so do the returning and new casts for this revival.

They’re staged beautifully together by Cracknell on Alex Eales’ multi-ring revolving stage. Initially only moving between scenes as something of a scene-change device, Eales’ revolves eventually fire into action towards the climax of the play in a beautiful theatrical flourish. Hung above are two large light rings and scattered orbs, initially seeming like a disconnected set of attractive if not obviously (at first) relevant artistic elements but eventually revealing themselves as hints to sub-atomic structures as the characters themselves uncover more about the science they study.

It may all be rather opaque at first but it’s worth sticking with and letting yourself discover the wonders of Arcadia for yourself, even if you’re new to Stoppard. It’s hard to imagine Arcadia done better, giving the slow-burn plot space to breathe and develop in style while also making plenty of room for humour and light-heartedness. It’s certainly fair to say that Stoppard deserves a stunning revival to open his newly-renamed theatre; thankfully, he’s got it.

Arcadia plays at the Duke of York’s Theatre (The Tom Stoppard Theatre) until 12th September 2026. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/arcadia-tickets

Photos by Manuel Harlan