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The Motive and the Cue    Tickets
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The Motive and the Cue Tickets

Production image of The Motive and the Cue in London, featuring the full West End cast.
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Production image of The Motive and the Cue in London, featuring Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton.
The Motive and the Cue    Tickets

About The Motive and the Cue

Sam Mendes directs the West End transfer of The Motive and the Cue starring Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, and Tuppence Middleton. Book The Motive and the Cue tickets in the West End on London Theatre.

A new play by Olivier Award winner Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), this uproarious show based on real events astonished at the National Theatre, and now it will enjoy a limited run for 15 weeks only on the West End at the Noel Coward Theatre.

It’s 1964, and famed stage and screen icon Richard Burton assumes the role of a lifetime: Hamlet. Playing the Danish prince is hard enough, but he’s also juggling a high-profile romance with Hollywood’s leading lady, Elizabeth Taylor, whom he recently married, and an experimental directorial concept helmed by Sir John Gielgud. Rehearsals go anything but smoothly.

Burton and Gielgud represent two distinct generations, each with clashing ideas on creativity. Gielgud made Burton a star, but now the actor is ready to be his own persona. A smash hit and sold-out success, The Motive and the Cue traces the fine line between art and celebrity and offers audiences a rare look at the drama behind the scenes of a highly anticipated Shakespearean production.

Academy, Olivier, and Tony Award winner Sam Mendes directs this production. Mendes has established himself as one of the world’s most sought-after directors, having accomplished film (American Beauty, 1917) and theatre both on Broadway and the West End (The Ferryman, Gypsy, The Lehman Trilogy).

Jack Thorne’s sizzling play features beloved London actors, including Johnny Flynn as actor Richard Burton, Mark Gatiss as director Sir John Gielgud, and Tuppence Middleton as cultural legend Elizabeth Taylor.

Book tickets to The Motive and the Cue on London Theatre today.

Run time

2h 40m (incl. interval)

Start date

9th December, 2023

End date

23rd March, 2024

Categories

Age

12+ Everyone, regardless of age, must have their own ticket to enter the theatre. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to a ticket holder who is at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted.

Production note
This production contains strong language and adult themes, with some bright lighting.
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Our Review

'The Motive and the Cue' review – a deliciously entertaining account of the famous Burton/Gielgud 'Hamlet'

4 of 5
03 May 2023, 09:23
Read our four-star review of The Motive and the Cue starring Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss at the National Theatre, with performances currently through 15 July.

The Motive and the Cue cast and creative team

By: Jack Thorne, based on the books John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard Sterne and Letters From an Actor by William Redfield
Director: Sam Mendes
Cast list: Johnny Flynn (as Richard Burton), Tuppence Middleton (as Elizabeth Taylor), Mark Gatiss (as John Gielgud), Allan Corduner, Ryan Ellsworth, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Michael Walters, Laurence Ubong Williams Design: Es Devlin
Costumes: Katrina Lindsay
Lighting: Jon Clark
Sound: Paul Arditti

Venue

85-88 St Martin's Lane, London, United Kingdom, WC2N 4AU
Get directionsView map

Directions

Location: West End
Railway station: Charing Cross
Bus numbers: (Charing Cross) 24, 29, 176; (Strand) 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, 87, 91, 139
Night bus numbers: (Charing Cross) 24, 176, N5, N20, N29, N41, N279; (Strand) 6, 23, 139, N9, N15, N11, N13, N21, N26, N44, N47, N87, N89, N91, N155, N343, N551 Car park: St Martin's Lane Hotel (1min)
Directions from tube: (2mins) Take Cranbourn Street away from Leicester Square until St Martin’s Lane, where you head right until you reach the theatre.

More information about The Motive and the Cue

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Frequently asked questions

What is The Motive and the Cue about?

Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn take the stage in the National Theatre's West End transfer of The Motive and the Cue. Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes directs this hilarious new play that delves into the making of Richard Burton and John Gielgud's Hamlet on Broadway. Find out more about tickets on London Theatre.

How long is The Motive and the Cue ?

The running time of The Motive and the Cue is 2h 40m (incl. interval)

Where is The Motive and the Cue playing?

The Motive and the Cue is playing at Noël Coward Theatre. The theatre is located at 85-88 St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4AU.

What's the age requirement for The Motive and the Cue ?

The recommended age for The Motive and the Cue is 12+ Everyone, regardless of age, must have their own ticket to enter the theatre. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to a ticket holder who is at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted. .

How do you book tickets for The Motive and the Cue ?

Book tickets for The Motive and the Cue on London Theatre.

Tickets

Unfortunately, tickets for this event are no longer available.

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