Arcadia
06 February 2026
The Old Vic
5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Arcadia, currently running at the Old Vic until 21 March, is Tom Stoppard’s most lauded play. Exploring human attraction within the backdrop of mathematical and scientific concepts, it’s a complex comedy full of interwoven connections. The entire play takes place in garden-facing front room of a country estate, enmeshing two timelines. In 1809 the young daughter of Lord and Lady Croom. Thomasina, studies mathematics under her tutor Septimus Hodge, while the latter’s friend Lord Byron is a guest at the estate. She is a precocious teenager and mathematical genius exploring advanced concepts like chaos theory and thermodynamics long before they have been established in the scientific community. In the present, professor Bernard Nightingale is researching Lord Byron’s life while writer Hannah Jarvis is investigating a mysterious hermit who lived at the estate. Through their studies of old documents and discussions of their contradicting theories, they reveal events unfolding during the 1809 timeline.
There’s a plethora of characters revolving around the main four, adding side-plots and deeper lore to the general exploration of Byron’s short visit to the estate, and the history of the mad hermit. The story itself is fascinatingly unravelled through scenes weaving between both timelines, characters dancing around each other in a gorgeous choreography that divides the two eras while simultaneously bringing them closer together. Characters are well developed and complex, adding another layer of interest to the main storyline, while the humour throughout really manages to connect with the audience.
This staging is placed on a round stage that occasionally revolves, with one study table in the middle and four benches around the perimeter. The lighting design is absolutely beautiful, floating light orbs evoking star constellations while two large light circles pulse above. There is a softness in the lighting that evokes a beautiful night sky, illuminating the goings on beneath. The stage is almost bare, with little clutter distracting from the plot.
Arcadia is a highly entertaining story of attraction and dedication, examining how we study the past as much as how humans interact with each other. The humour is plentiful and very entertaining, while the story itself has many layers that are slowly pealed back to reveal the full picture. Gorgeously acted throughout, the almost three hour run time flies by incredibly quickly. There is so much story packed into Arcadia, not a dull moment is to be found, each movement and pause purposeful and imbued with meaning. It’s a fascinating story, incredibly staged in this beautiful production.
