Carrie Cracknell's intimate revival of Tom Stoppard's 1993 masterpiece Arcadia has returned to the London stage at the Old Vic in Waterloo, running from 5 February to 21 March 2026. While this production has its minor imperfections, the sheer joy of experiencing this astonishing play live again makes it an essential theatrical event for London audiences.
A Masterpiece of Burning Intelligence
Arcadia represents more than just another play in the theatrical canon - it stands as a work of ravenous, burning intelligence that has been widely acknowledged as Stoppard's finest achievement. The play's relative scarcity on stage may partly stem from its demanding nature, requiring a cast capable of making discussions about mathematical theories and historical estate records truly captivating. This isn't a play about gamekeeping logs or dry academic concepts, but rather a profound exploration of human unpredictability, our transient nature, sexual drives, and our fundamental desire to understand the world around us.
Innovative Staging at the Old Vic
Cracknell and her team, including designer Alex Eales, have cleverly adapted their production to the Old Vic's current in-the-round configuration. Rather than attempting to recreate a traditional country estate setting - where the play unfolds across two timelines in 1809 and the present day - they've opted for a minimalist approach. A revolving circular stage dominates the space, accompanied by lighting that resembles a mobile of stars, subtly referencing textual elements while capturing the play's underlying cosmic wonder.
Dual Timelines and Standout Performances
The production navigates between two distinct eras with varying success. In the 1809 timeline, we encounter Thomasina Coverley, a thirteen-year-old mathematical prodigy reminiscent of Ada Lovelace, portrayed with phenomenal skill by rising star Isis Hainsworth. Thomasina emerges not merely as a precocious teen genius but as someone filled with wide-eyed wonder about everything from bell curves and algorithmic theories to rice pudding and carnal relations. Her tutor, the suave and cynical Septimus Hodge, receives a beautifully light and deft delivery from Seamus Dillane.
Meanwhile, in the present-day narrative, historian Bernard Nightingale - played with entertaining, Partridge-esque flair by Prasanna Puwanarajah - attempts to reconstruct tumultuous events from nearly two centuries earlier, convinced they revolve around the peripheral figure of Lord Byron. Bernard serves not as a straw man for Stoppard to critique historians, but rather illustrates how historical understanding becomes distorted through time, reflecting humanity's messy randomness and sex-driven behavioural tangents.
The Heart of Arcadia's Message
At its core, Arcadia presents a shining-eyed, fiercely cerebral, and often extremely funny belief in humanity and its halting but inexorable progress. In one of the play's most celebrated passages - frequently quoted following Stoppard's death - Septimus tells Thomasina that "We shed as we pick up, like travellers who must carry everything in their arms, and what we let fall will be picked up by those behind." This encapsulates the play's central theme about knowledge, legacy, and human continuity.
A Production with Distinct Strengths
While Hamlet's imperfections allow for endless reinterpretation, Arcadia approaches perfection, leaving less room for directorial imposition and proving particularly demanding for actors. Cracknell successfully creates an intimate atmosphere and avoids having her cast deliver Stoppard's ornate prose as mere speechifying. The nineteenth-century sections prove sensationally good, though the present-day scenes could benefit from slightly more energy and pep. Puwanarajah excels as Bernard, though not all cast members manage to make the fact-heavy dialogue truly sing, especially when compared to the exceptionally talented nineteenth-century ensemble.
The production runs for 2 hours and 50 minutes at the Old Vic, located at 103 The Cut, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8NB, easily accessible via Waterloo Tube and rail stations. Ticket prices range from £13 to £120, with performances scheduled throughout February and March 2026, including matinee and evening shows on various days of the week.
