Before the Coffee Gets Cold Tickets
Opens 17th June
Olivier winner Conor McPherson adapts the best-selling Japanese novel about memory, loss and connection in a time-travelling cafe.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold in London
Japanese novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold receives a brand new English-language stage adaptation this new year. The play is based on the beloved, bestselling novel about a time-travelling cafe, by Olivier Award winner Conor McPherson, and makes its UK premiere at the Lyric Hammersmith, in the heart of Hammersmith, for a strictly limited run. Grab a cup, and book your tickets today.
What Is the Play Before the Coffee Gets Cold About?
The Funiculi Funicula cafe seems to be a coffee shop like any other. It has regulars, such as the quiet and unassuming Mr Owen, waitresses like Freya, who makes sure the coffee is poured hot and fresh, and an owner, Nicholas, who is skilled at managing both tourists and locals alike.
But this is no ordinary cafe, and it has some very unusual rules. Rule one: there is a specific seat that allows you to travel in time. Rule two: while travelling, you must not move from this seat, and rule three: you must come back to the present before your coffee gets cold…
The History of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Japanese author Toshikazu Kawaguchi. The novel has theatrical origins, beginning life as a stage play in 2010, written and directed by Kawaguchi for his theatrical group, Sonic Snail. The original play won the grand prize at the Suginami Drama Festival in Tokyo, and Kawaguchi's later adapted the play into his debut novel, published in 2015 in Japan, and in translation to English in 2019. Four sequels, set in the world of the cafe, have been released between 2017 and 2026. The novel was adapted for screen in Japan in 2018 as the film Cafe Funiculi Funicula, and in 2021 a planned English-language television adaptation for Fox was announced.
This Lyric Hammersmith production marks the UK premiere of this new stage adaptation.
The Cast of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Casting is to be announced.
The Creative Team of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before the Coffee Gets Cold has a script by Conor McPherson, adapted from the novel by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.
McPherson is an Olivier-winning Irish director, playwright and screenwriter. His credits include The Weir, The Brightening Air, The Seafarer and Bob Dylan musical Girl From the North Country.
Kawaguchi is a Japanese author, screenwriter, and director. He is a Bookseller Award nominee and winner of the Grand Prize of the Suginami Theatre Festival for the novel's original stage production. The novel has been translated into 46 languages and sold over six million copies, and has been followed by four sequels set in the same universe.
Further creative team members are to be announced.
The production is produced in association with Melting Pot, Gail Berman/SK Global, and Lombardo & Zell Productions.
Tickets for Before the Coffee Gets Cold at Lyric Hammersmith
Would you revisit the past, even if you couldn't change it? Olivier Award-winning Connor McPherson’s moving new adaptation of the multi-million copy-selling novel comes to London for the very first time this July, for a strictly limited run. Exploring themes of memory, grief, time and connection, this promises to be the theatrical event of the season. Take a seat at the Cafe Funiculi Funicula, and book tickets for Before the Coffee Gets Cold at the Lyric Hammersmith today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Before the Coffee Gets Cold playing in London?
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is playing at the Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King Street, London, W6 0QL.
What is the age recommendation for Before the Coffee Gets Cold?
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is best for age 14+. Children under 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to an adult.
Can I buy tickets for Before the Coffee Gets Cold at the box office?
Yes you can buy from the Lyric Hammersmith box office where you will pay the face value ticket price, sometimes with a small booking fee. Search on SeatPlan to get the best prices and deals in one search including discounts not available at the box office.
What is the refund / cancellation policy?
Tickets for Before the Coffee Gets Cold are generally non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
SeatPlan works with multiple suppliers to find the best deal for you. Each supplier has their own refund and cancellation policy, which you can review on the payment page before you complete your purchase.
