Elizabeth Dulau and Owen Teale to star in the world premiere of George Eliot play Bird Grove

Elizabeth Dulau and Owen Teale will star in the world premiere of Bird Grove, a new play by Alexi Kaye Campbell, at Hampstead Theatre.

Dulau plays Mary Ann Evans, later known as George Eliot, while Teale plays her father, Robert Evans. His theatre credits include A Doll’s House in the West End and on Broadway, Ivanov at the National Theatre and No Man’s Land at Wyndham’s Theatre.

The cast also includes Jonnie Broadbent, Jolyon Coy, Tom Espiner, Rebecca Scroggs, James Staddon and Sarah Woodward.

The production is directed by Anna Ledwich and runs from 13 February to 21 March 2026. Set in 1841, the play follows Mary Ann Evans at a time when her father has moved with her to Bird Grove House in the hope of securing her a husband through the local church. As her reading and friendships expose her to new ideas, her beliefs increasingly clash with those of her father, bringing their close relationship under strain and forcing Mary Ann to consider her future and her identity.

Campbell’s previous work includes The Pride and Apologia. Ledwich returns to Hampstead Theatre following The Billionaire Inside Your Head, Labyrinth, Dry Powder and Four Minutes Twelve Seconds. The creative team includes designer Sarah Beaton, lighting designer Matt Haskins and sound designer and composer Harry Blake, with casting by Juliet Horsley.