Performance dates
3 February - 29 April 2017. Monday to Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm
Run time 2hrs 30mins including a 15-minute interval
Includes interval
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Tom Stoppard’s Travesties coming to the Apollo Theatre in London!
'Patrick Marber’s near-miraculous production' -- The New York Times
A dazzling comedy of art, love and revolution features James Joyce, Tristan Tzara and Lenin as remembered and misremembered by Henry Carr - a minor British diplomat in Zurich 1917.
When Gwendolen and Cecily wander in from The Importance of Being Earnest Henry’s mind wanders too. He knows he was Algernon in a production in Zurich. But who was the other one?
The original production of Travesties won the Evening Standard award for Best Comedy and the Tony award for Best Play. This first London revival in over 20 years will be directed by Patrick Marber and will star Tom Hollander.
Tom Hollander returns to the stage to play Henry Carr. His theatre credits include A Flea in Her Ear (Old Vic), The Hotel in Amsterdam, The Threepenny Opera (Donmar Warehouse), The Judas Kiss (Playhouse Theatre and Broadway), The Government Inspector and Tartuffe (Almeida Theatre). His television credits include Doctor Thorne, The Night Manager, Rev. and Absolutely Fabulous. For film, his credits include Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
Tom Stoppard is one of the most internationally performed dramatists of his generation. His plays include The Hard Problem, The Real Inspector Hound, Jumpers, Night and Day, The Real Thing, Hapgood, Arcadia, The Invention of Love, The Coast of Utopia and Rock'n'Roll. He co-wrote the screenplays for the films Brazil, Shakespeare in Love and The Russia House. He has received an Academy Award and four Tony Awards. He was knighted in 1997.
As a director, Patrick Marber 's work includes Steve Coogan / John Thompson in Characters (Edinburgh/Purcell Room/Touring), and his own plays Dealer's Choice (National Theatre/Vaudeville Theatre), Closer (National Theatre/Lyric Theatre/Broadway), Howard Katz and Three Days In the Country (both National Theatre). Other productions include 1953 (Almeida Theatre), Blue Remembered Hills (National Theatre), The Old Neighborhood (Royal Court at Duke of York's Theatre) and The Caretaker (Comedy Theatre).
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Recent Reviews
Amazing, intelligent, and brilliantly comedic - all around tur de force by actors and director.
It was spoiled for me because I ordered good seats and when I arrived st the theatre I found I had been put in restricted view ones, although better seats were available at the time I booked. I strongly object to this swindle
Tom Hollander is wonderfully hilarious in the role and complimented well by the ensemble. Special kudos to the brilliant Freddie Fox too
This was the most disappointing production we have ever been to. The diction was not very clear, the script was often turgid, plot was confusing and did not do justice to the excellent cast. This was a special birthday present and I bought front of Dress Circle seats which are expensive. It was so bad we left and did not return for Act 2. Sadly this was the last showing so my views will be of no consequence.
Stoppard succeeds in making you feel sluggish and dull by the furious pace, wit and ingenuity of this cleverly interwoven piece. Never one to read up on a play, I wished I had scanned a synopsis of this one so I could have at least hit the ground walking.... Nevertheless, you hang on in, determined to try and catch up with the author and the effort is very worthwhile. Hollander is a joy, holding the audience in to his war-traumatised, egoistic Carr who navigates you through the piece. Cecily and Tzara, though played with panache, sometimes sacrificed clarity of delivery for comic effect. Gwendolyn sings well and gives a well timed, warm performance. Lenin provides an uncanny likeness in pastiche. All mix in a dream-like combination of historical fact and music hall farce. You must see this play at least twice to have any chance of keeping up with, comprehending and fully appreciating it but it will be worth it.
Slickly staged but very disappointing. Saw the original production, which carefully maintained balance between intellectual content and farcical form. The revival privileges farce to the detriment of the play's meditations on culture and society.
The play was fantastic. Unfortunately from the rear of the dress circle I was unable to see more than half of the stage at any time.
Fabulous theatre , great evening with an utterly brilliant performance from Tom Hollander and the rest of the cast.
Excellent production, wonderful acting. Stoppard at his best, rendered magnificently. Must see.
Travesties was one of the best shows I've seem for ages. A clever script wonderfully delivered by an excellent cast. Tom Hollander was outstanding.
We had an hilarious night out ! Perfect execution of a classic Stoppard play !
A tremendously stimulating and brilliantly acted & directed play. Needs constant concentration - a little bit of background knowledge (about The Importance of Being Earnest) would help!
Latest Travesties News
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Reviews / Features
REVIEW: Travesties
This intelligent but baffling play is Tom Stoppard at his finest. I have mixed feeling towards Stoppard as his quality of work can range from the disappointing Hard Problem (National Theatre 2015) to the entertaining in the form of the recent Hapgood revival at the Hampstead Theatre. Stoppard’s 1976 piece Travesties reflects a different time and perhaps a different man.
3 Mar, 2017 | By Shanine Salmon
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News
Tom Stoppard's Travesties makes the move to the West End
Following a record breaking run at Menier Chocolate Factory where tickets sold-out in advance of the first preview, Stoppard's Travesties is transferring to the Apollo Theatre for a limited 12 week run. The show received 5-star reviews from numerous publications including the Sunday Times and Telegraph and was described by Sarah Compton as "a scintillating production. . . a thrilling mix of fact and fiction," in her own five-star review
2 Nov, 2016 | By Sarah Gengenbach
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