Tom Stoppard Plays in London

Sir Tom Stoppard (1937-2025) was one of the UK’s most influential playwrights. With a witty and stylistically ambitious writing style, his works combine absurd and existential ideas, and make complex academic subjects feel exciting and accessible. Many of his best known plays, including Arcadia and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, have been revived numerous times in the UK and US. His influence is so great, he’s even had a West End venue named after him, with the Duke of York’s Theatre being rechristened the Tom Stoppard Theatre in 2026.

If you want to experience one of Stoppard’s plays in London for yourself, browse below to see what’s currently on stage, or set an alert for a past production – we’ll let you know when there’s a revival you can book tickets for. Be aware that revivals will feature a different venue, cast, and creative team from the past productions listed below.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Perhaps the most widely known play by Stoppard – and the one that really cemented his reputation on stage – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is a masterpiece of absurd comedy and tragedy. It is inspired by two minor characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and sees them become the centre of the action. As they linger at the edges of the famous tragedy, they try to make sense of what is happening. With its metatheatrical framing and intriguing spin on a classic story, it is often revived and does well amongst audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Major actors such as Simon Russell Beale, Daniel Radcliffe and Tim Minchin have played the title roles in the UK, USA and Australia.

Last On: 2017, Old Vic Theatre, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Joshua McGuire.

Travesties

Travesties is one of Tom Stoppard’s most well-known and popular plays. This comic story follows elderly British consular official Henry Carr, who is reminiscing on his time in Zurich in 1917, the height of World War One. As he recalls living in the same city as, and meeting, writer James Joyce, poet and essayist Tristan Tzara and Russian politician Lenin, his memories become jumbled, and the line between fact and fiction blurs. It won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1976, and its hugely successful 2017 London revival picked up several Olivier Awards.

Last On: 2017, Apollo Theatre, starring Tom Hollander.

The Real Thing

Tom Stoppard was beloved for his characters’ witty repartee, and none of his plays showcase that more than The Real Thing. This Tony Award-winning comedy follows a married couple who started their relationship by having an affair. But to playwright Henry and actress-turned-activist Annie, how they began doesn’t matter, because they have the real thing… right? Moving between reality and fiction, The Real Thing is a compelling play that explores how performance affects our closest relationships. It remains one of Stoppard’s most popular works, and has been revived several times since it premiered in the 1980s.

Last On: 2024, Old Vic Theatre, starring Bel Powley and James McArdle.

Arcadia

Considered by many to be Tom Stoppard’s masterwork, Arcadia’s plot may sound complicated, but it is gripping from start to end. Set in a Derbyshire country house, the play takes place in two intertwined eras: the early 1900s, where a teenage prodigy’s passion for mathematics and science is discouraged by those around here; and the 1990s, where scholars chase the ghosts of the past. Its premiere in 1993 was a real cultural moment, and it went on to win numerous awards. It has since been named as one of the most influential plays of the 20th century. 

Last On: 2026, Tom Stoppard Theatre (formerly Duke of York’s Theatre).

Leopoldstadt

Tom Stoppard’s final play premiered in 2020, when he was 82 years old – and it was just as impressive as his earlier work. Inspired by his own family history, it follows a well-off Jewish family in 1900s Vienna before, during and after World War Two. Exploring the effects of antisemitism, fascism and faith, this multi-generational story saw a cast of 24 actors play various members of the same family. It received huge public and critical acclaim, and won two Olivier Awards for Best New Play and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. 

Last On: 2020-2021, Wyndham’s Theatre, world premiere.

What Are Tom Stoppard’s Most Famous Plays?

Tom Stoppard wrote an impressive number of plays, as well as radio and TV work, over his long career. His last play, Leopoldstadt, is one of his most famous. It premiered in 2020 when he was 82, and won the Olivier Award for Best New Play. It was also his most personal, inspired by his own Jewish family history. 

Other famous Tom Stoppard plays include Arcadia, which is often considered one of the best plays ever written, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. 

How Often Are Plays by Tom Stoppard Performed in London?

There have been several revivals of Tom Stoppard’s plays in London over the last decade, including three in the West End between 2017 and 2026 and others at Off-West End venues like the Old Vic and Hampstead Theatre. 

The most commonly performed Stoppard plays are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which has famously been performed by a cast including Daniel Radcliffe at the Old Vic in 2017, and Travesties, which has been revived in the West End three times since it premiered.

If you want to catch a Stoppard play in London, see what’s currently on above or set an alert for future productions. 

Where Can I Find Out More About Works by Tom Stoppard? 

You can read about Tom Stoppard’s career, plays and influence in the Tom Stoppard biography by Hermione Lee.

What Else Can I See If I Like Tom Stoppard?

If you love Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and Harold Pinter plays like No Man’s Land capture some of the same linguistic sparring and existential questions. 

More contemporary writers like Martin McDonagh and Martin Crimp are also heavily influenced by Theatre of the Absurd, a movement Stoppard is often linked to. McDonagh’s The Pillowman is very acclaimed, with a dark, twisted but compelling storyline. Its unreliable narrator is also reminiscent of Stoppard’s Travesties. 

If you like Stoppard’s more historical or academic works, try Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, Duncan Macmillan’s Lungs, and Nick Payne’s Constellations.