The Motive and the Cue at National Theatre cast, dates and tickets

Cast and dates have been confirmed for new play The Motive and the Cue at National Theatre in 2023.

Sam Mendes directs the new play by Jack Thorne inspired by the making of Burton and Gielgud’s Hamlet.

Opening in the Lyttelton theatre on 2 May, with previews from 20 April, the cast includes Janie Dee as Eileen Hurlie, Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton, Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud and Tuppence Middleton as Taylor.

They’re joined by Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams and Michael Walters.

Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

This fierce and funny new play offers a glimpse into the politics of a rehearsal room and the relationship between art and celebrity.

The Motive and the Cue was commissioned by Neal Street Productions and has been developed and co-produced by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions. Set design is by Es Devlin, costume designer is Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer is Jon Clark, composer is Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound designer is Paul Arditti, video designer is Luke Halls, casting by Alastair Coomer CDG and Naomi Downham and associate director is Zoé Ford Burnett.

Inspired by Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne.

For more information and tickets, visit nationaltheatre.org.uk