The Star Wars: The Last Jedi star will be swapping his Storm Trooper boots for yet more military action in Jack Thorne’s new version of Georg Büchner’s Woyzeck at the Old Vic Theatre. However, there’s still a fair amount of superpower struggles for him to contend with as the the new version of the play takes place in Berlin during the Cold War, but as with Star Wars, it’s the struggles within that defines the working class tragedy.
AdvertisementThe original story was written by Büchner in 1836, but it wasn’t completed before his early death a year later. It was set in a small German town, so the update to Berlin in the early 1980s is a fairly significant modernisation by Thorne, who’s impressive writing credits include Skins, This Is England ’86, This Is England ’88, This Is England ’90 and the stage play for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
Dates, show times and tickets:
Woyzeck will be opening at the Old Vic on the 13th May 2017 with preview performances going on until the 22nd May, before the full production run kicks in until the 24th June 2017. Evening shows will be at 7.30pm Monday to Saturday from the 13th May until the 3rd June, and then again from the 19th to the 24th June. They’ll be on at the slightly earlier time of 7pm from the 5th to the 17th June. Matinee performances will be at 2.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday between the 13th May and the 3rd June with the Thursday slot falling away for the two remaining run times above.
Tickets range from £12, £16 and £21 to £30, £50 and £60.
Story
Fast forward from 19th Century provincial Germany to 1980s Berlin, where Franz Woyzeck is a young soldier on the border between East and West, where the ideals of capitalism and communism but up against each other. Living with the love of his life, they want to create a better future for their child, but they’re among the many that society has not provided for. Their impoverished circumstances prove to be a significant entrapment that comes with a high price in their attempts to get out.
Cast
John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) leads the cast as lowly soldier, Franz Woyzeck, and he’s joined by Darrell D’Silva as Dr. Martins, Sarah Green as his cherished Marie, and Steffan Rhodri (Submarine, Gavin & Stacey) as the Captain. Ben Batt (Shameless) plays Andrews and Nancy Carroll (The Suspicions of Mr Whicher) plays Maggie.
Production
The Jack Thorne-penned take on Georg Büchner’s classic tragedy is being directed by Joe Murphy (Wolf Hall and Bring Up Their Bodies). Tom Scutt is the designer, Neil Austin the lighting designer, Gareth Fry the sound designer, Isobel Waller-Bridge composing the music and Polly Bennett directing the movement.
AdvertisementFirst impressions
Woyzeck is going to be a hefty challenge for John Boyega, but we’re tipping him to deliver an incredible performance. With the tragic remains of Georg Büchner’s original concept and Jack Thorne’s time-shifting update, the stage is set for a powerful production that will be as relevant today as it was in 1836, or 1980s Berlin.
