Arcadia Review at Duke of York’s Theatre London

Arcadia is one of Sir Tom Stoppard’s most ingenious plays; witty, intellectual and intricate in its highly woven story, as two parallel plotlines unfold in the same room of an English country estate, two centuries apart. It premiered at the National Theatre in 1993, winning the Olivier Award for Best Play. This revival from The Old Vic has now transferred to the West End for a limited season, and is a marvellous opportunity to delight in a cerebral comedy. I had the pleasure of sitting in the on-stage seating, which recreates the Old Vic’s current in-the-round configuration at the Duke of York’s Theatre. I can thoroughly recommend being this close to the action, especially to appreciate the details in each and every actor’s deft characterisation and performance.

Set in the fictional Derbyshire estate of Sidley Park, Arcadia captures our imaginations through the lives of the residents in 1809 and then sifts this information through the modern day academics conducting research at the estate. It’s a ravishing comedy that delves into an extraordinary number of philosophical, mathematical, and scientific ideas. The expression of the enlightenment and romanticism through garden design, the literary links to the estate, thermodynamics and chaos theory…at its heart, the play is about the very pursuit of discovery that drives us all.

Director Carrie Cracknell crafts absolute lucidity in the complex text and ushers the audience through the discoveries in linking past and present, which provide so much of the joy in this play. She balances the characters beautifully, maintaining their distinct perspectives and ensuring each one can be endearing to the audience in spite of their foibles.

Having enjoyed the original season at the Old Vic earlier this year, I found the West End transfer to be somewhat elevated in its performance.

Casting Director Serena Hill has paired two new leads to spearhead the central academic jousting this season, and the result is magnetic with Oliver Chris and Nikki Amuka-Bird meeting each other head on in their clashes, whilst still breathing an effortless ease into their contemporary characters.

Oliver Chris captures the impulsive academic Bernard Nightingale perfectly, conveying his passion and exasperation, and always bringing the humour to the surface.

Nikki Amuka-Bird delivers impeccable nuance and timing as Hannah Jarvis. Although I did not see the original 1993 production, I can distinctly hear Felicity Kendal’s voice in so much of Stoppard’s writing for this character, but Amuka-Bird infuses the text with her own underlying warmth and gives Hannah Jarvis a fresh modernity.

Isis Hainsworth is delightful as Thomasina Coverly, filling her with intense wonder, balancing her genius and naivety and ultimately all the emotion bubbling through her teenage veins.

Seamus Dillane is thoroughly mischievous as Septimus Hodge, and Yolanda Kettle archly lands every laugh as Lady Croom. Matthew Steer is memorable as a bumbling Ezra Chater. Angus Cooper excels in his thoughtful portrayal of Valentine Coverly, always allowing unresolved tensions to simmer beneath the surface of his academic explorations.

The challenge of this production being in-the-round limits how the manor of Sidley Park can be portrayed, and I did miss the sense of the house being almost a central character in the play. Nonetheless, Alex Eales delivers a very clever set design within these constraints, drawing upon the geometry and chaos theory in the text, beautifully completed with constellations of lighting with a design by Guy Hoare. I felt its absence more when I previously sat in the auditorium, which naturally makes the stage a focal point. However, when closer amidst the action, the magic of the scene changes between 1809 and the present day was much more apparent, because rather than looking at the room, there was a wonderful sense of being in it.

Overall, the exquisite work by this cast honours Stoppard’s genius and will draw you into both worlds. This is a thrilling piece of theatre, and richly satisfying to piece together the brilliance of the intrigue and also be touched by its emotional core.

Arcadia plays at the Duke of York’s Theatre until 12 September.

Where I Sat

I was sitting at On Stage Seating SD3. I highly recommend the on-stage seating because it brings you so close to the action, and the production has been conceived in-the-round rather than having one-way focal points.  Comfortable seating with ample legroom. 

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Reviewed by Patrick Jeremy for SeatPlan, July 2026