The Old Vic announces shows in Matthew Warchus’ final season

The Old Vic has completed the line-up for Matthew Warchus’ final “in-the-round” season, revealing a revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s How the Other Half Loves and an all-new version of the musical Martin Guerre.

Phillip Breen will direct Ayckbourn’s 1969 comedy How the Other Half Loves, which runs from 29 July to 19 September 2026, with a press night on 11 August. Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson will star, with further casting to be announced.

Considered one of Ayckbourn’s breakthrough works, the play follows three couples whose lives become entangled after accusations of infidelity lead to a web of misunderstandings and deception.

The production marks a return to the in-the-round configuration for which the play was originally written. Breen directs a creative team that includes set and costume designer Rob Howell, lighting designer Azusa Ono, sound designer Dyfan Jones, associate director Phillippe Cato, associate costume designer Lucy Gaiger and wigs, hair and make-up designers Campbell Young Associates.

Warchus said: “I grew up in North Yorkshire with Alan Ayckbourn’s theatre on my doorstep and he has long been one of my favourite writers. The Old Vic’s current in-the-round configuration was in fact originally created for my production of The Norman Conquests 18 years ago so I’m delighted that one of his most celebrated plays will feature in my final season. Phillip Breen is a director well known for delivering comedic excellence and I’m delighted to welcome him to the Old Vic.”

The season will then continue in October with a new version of Martin Guerre, the musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. We’ve covered it in detail here.

Tickets for How the Other Half Loves are now on sale, while tickets for Martin Guerre will be released later this summer.