The Real Thing Tickets

The harsh realities of love come crashing down on a well known playwright this April at the Old Vic Theatre as “The Real Thing” makes an anticipated new appearance in London with Toby Stephens in a lead role and Anna Mackmin in the director’s chair.

Tom Stoppard’s classic play seeks to blur the lines between fact and fiction, art and the real world as relationships and love’s wicked ways become all too real. It was originally staged in 1982 with current “Waiting for Godot” star Roger Rees then taking on the role of the famous playwright Henry. As with many of Stoppard’s production, it proved to be a long-lasting classic and continues to be enjoyed to this very day.

In “The Real Thing”, the playwright Henry learns the hard way how the dangers of love can be much more damning in the real world that in one of his plays as his life begins to mirror his latest work. As a working playwright, Henry receives unanimous acclaim from his fans and from critics who hail his magnificent productions. However, his latest piece involves themes such as adultery and when it is staged it will feature his wife Charlotte in the lead role acting opposite her friend Max. But the real thing does not manifest itself between his wife and Max, instead it is Henry who begins to have adulterous feelings as he realises he is pining for Max’s wife Annie. Suddenly, as the boundaries between fact and fiction come crashing down, Henry realises the real thing is the most painful.

Director Anna Mackmin is regularly recognised for her duties directing for the stage and her work will also be seen in 2010 with “Really Old, Like Forty Five” appearing at the Cottesloe National Theatre. Her past credits include “Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship” at the National Theatre in 2006 and “Dying for It” (an adaptation of “The Suicide”) at the Almeida Theatre.

Meanwhile, star Toby Stephens is a well known performer who has appeared in movies as well as stage productions and television shows. His signature appearances include Gustav Graves in the 2002 Bond movie “Die Another Day”, whilst his other screen appearances include “Wired”, “Robin Hood” and “Cambridge Spies”. His stage credits include “The Royal Family” at the Haymarket Theatre in 2001, “Betrayal” at the Donmar Warehouse” in 2007 and “The Country Wife” at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2007. More recently, he was also seen in the Gillian Anderson and Christopher Eccleston-starrer “A Doll’s House” at the Donmar Warehouse.

“The Real Thing” is at the Old Vic Theatre and will be making its way to the stage from Wednesday 21st April 2010 (previews from Saturday 10th April 2010) to Saturday 5th June 2010.