The Upstart Crow
The Upstart Crow
Ben Elton brings his critically acclaimed and much adored BBC sitcom UPSTART CROW to its natural home, the stage, with an all-new comic play set to delight London’s West End. Starring David Mitchell, once more donning the bald wig and bardish coddling pouch in his iconic characterisation of Will Shakespeare and Gemma Whelan as the sweet and fragrant Kate.
‘Tis 1605 and England’s greatest playwright is in trouble. Will Shakespeare has produced just two plays; Measure for Measure, which according to King James was incomprehensible bollingbrokes by any measure, and All’s Well That End’s Well which didn’t even end well.
Will desperately needs to maketh a brilliant new play to bolster his reputation and avoid being cast aside by King and country. But Will’s personal life is encountering more dramatic twists and turns than any theatrical story he can conjure. How the futtock can a Bard be expected to find a plot for a play whilst his daughters run amok and his house is used as refuge for any old waif and stray.
As time runs out, can Will hold on to his dream of being recognised now and for all time, as indisputably the greatest writer that ever lived, or will family woes thwart Will’s chances of producing his masterwork?
‘The most consistently funny comedy since One Man Two Guvnors.’ ★★★★★ The Guardian
‘A hit, a hit, an implausible hit!’ ★★★★ The Independent
‘Elton’s brilliant Upstart Crow is Jacobean satire straight out of the Blackadder playbook’ ★★★★ Daily Mail
‘This play deserves love lavished upon it. It is hard to resist the delirious silliness. Entirely captivating’ ★★★★ What’s On Stage
‘The laughter is communal and continual. Just the hey nonny-nonny nonsense the doctor ordered’ ★★★★ The Telegraph
‘A terrific Shakespeare spoof’ ★★★★ The Arts Desk
Additional Details & FAQ
- Access Information
For Accessibility information please contact 0344 482 5137
- Cancellation Policy
No refunds or exchanges available after purchase.
- Where Do I Go
Shaftesbury Avenue
Soho
London
W1D 6AR
Reviews
Mike
Mar 20, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed the performance, acting was excellent.
Linda Neville
Mar 17, 2020
We thoroughly enjoyed our evening.The production was excellent, so well written. We laughed from start to finish. Brilliant the way all issues were covered in such a tongue in cheek way, and the dancing bear was genius.
Maz
Mar 16, 2020
Highly professional production. Everything was amazing, from the script to the set, the acting, the costumes and dancing. It was such a great play probably one of the best I have ever seen. I bought this for my husband and he was so pleased.
Allie O'Brien
Mar 16, 2020
Throughly enjoyed this excellent performance- clever, witty and fast paced, it was a welcome diversion from more serious matters. A physically and verbally challenging performance with many laugh out loud moments, I found it totally absorbing, as did my fellow theatre goers. Thank you to the cast, writers and all involved.
Pat Layton
Mar 16, 2020
Best show I've seen for years. Laughed non-stop from beginning to end. So glad it wasn't cancelled. What a lovely little theatre. Great acting. A fantastic night.
Jan Kerby
Mar 16, 2020
So, so good. Script was brilliant and kept us in stitches, especially the second half. Actors all so good. Loved Gemma and Helen, and the bear was a lovely touch. My favourite was Dr Hall, what an actor!
Olive
Mar 15, 2020
From start to finish it was entertaining, funny, and brilliantly performed. I hope it will be recorded and released on DVD!
Laura Griffiths
Mar 14, 2020
What a pleasure to have over two hours of Upstart Crow as opposed to the usual half hour. It was the best medicine ever for all the crap going on at the moment and to be able to laugh out loud at their inimitable acting and humour.....bloody marvellous....Ben Elton never disappoints with the script, made even more delicious with his skewering of the many idiocies that are fashionable at the moment! My only complaint about the show is that i am not going to have time to see it again to fill in the bits I missed because I was laughing so much!!!! Mr Elton and team....PLEASE dont stop, you keep the mad world sane....
Katy
Mar 14, 2020
What a great play. I said before going in that I wanted to belly laugh and I wasn't disappointed! Brilliantly written and delivered by a superb cast.
Gilli
Mar 14, 2020
A wonderful evening, and great to see the Crow transferred to the stage so cleverly. The cast were excellent - and so many words!!
ALAN IVES
Mar 13, 2020
Such fun. Silly, yes..at times! Witty...almost all of the time Up to date with humour at the expense of WOKE & PC thinking...what a relief! Funny...all the time. Thank you for great entertainment.
Lynn
Mar 13, 2020
The script is brilliant - weaving several plays and current events together, always hilariously. I laughed aloud from start to finish. Kate, Burbage and the Bear steal the show but everyone is marvellous. The serious slot from Othello is wonderful. The best theatre I’ve seen in ages.
Merlina
Mar 13, 2020
Brilliant! Even better, live, than the tv shows. Loved the bear, as expected, but whole performance really worth watching. We had middle of the second row Grand Circle seats, so an excellent view and sound.
Caroline L
Mar 13, 2020
A thoroughly entertaining evening. Rare to have a comedy which is both funny and intelligent. Cast were brilliant, all of them, and I would love to go again.
True Jude
Mar 12, 2020
We laughed from the first moment to the last. The cast are magnificent and the script is as good as the tv shows with the addition of a talented tap dancing bear! If you can, go and see it ,you won’t be disappointed!
Tony Tyrrell
Mar 12, 2020
Brilliant. The best show I've seen for a very long time.
Sheila
Mar 12, 2020
We enjoyed the TV series of ‘The Upstart Crow’ very much & were not disappointed when we saw the stage play. From the start we were completely involved & laughed out loud at the language & parallels to modern day life. Brilliant acting & a clever script entertained from start to finish. Thank you so much!
Val
Mar 12, 2020
With the same cast as the TV series how could this fail? Non stop wit, fun and political comment, so relevant today. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute, especially the dancing bear!
Jane Sheridan
Mar 12, 2020
Good reprise of TV series, with lots of references to various plays in clever ways: couldn't work out how it would all end!
MoiraR
Mar 12, 2020
I laughed from start to finish. Very pleased to see most of the TV cast. A really great evening Connor recommended it enough.
Chris Bennion
Mar 12, 2020
All we could have expected, can't recommend it enough.
J Lopez-Vega
Mar 11, 2020
Fantastic production, with excellent casting especially Mister Bear. The background canned music was most enjoyable and set the tone well. Very funn and much better than I had expected.
Jill S.
Mar 11, 2020
I don't think you have to be a fan of the show to love it as much as I did, but I did nonetheless. I loved all the references to the show and loved Mark Heap in his new guise. I planned my vacation in order to come see this and it did not disappoint.
John Burgess
Mar 11, 2020
A great transfer from tv to stage. The whole cast faultless in their roles and word perfect. How do they remember such a lot of lines?? Glad I made the effort to get there from Seaford near Eastbourne even if it did mean getting home after 1 am in the morning.
Barbara Jackson-Shennan
Mar 11, 2020
It was an enjoyable evening at the theatre. David Mitchell was great live. The rest of the cast also superb, showing their dramatic talents when performing the play within a play, as well as comedic skills. The play used contemporary issues, as might Shakespeare's plays would have done in Elizabethan London. The audience loved it.
Helen
Mar 11, 2020
Really good
Pam Jones
Mar 10, 2020
Really funny and entertaining - a very enjoyable show.
Alison
Mar 10, 2020
An hilarious farce based on Shakespeare but with many contemporary references. Beautifully written and acted, a real treat.
Ruth
Mar 9, 2020
We all loved this show. Just as good as the series. The actors were magnificent especially the two daughters! We were still laughing hours later. A real feel good experience. Thank you
Dizzyone
Mar 8, 2020
Great show, had us (and everyone else) laughing from beginning to end.
Derby
Mar 8, 2020
Loved this version of the Upstart Crow. We were laughing from start to finish. Great mix of humour / Shakespeare and modern day references.
Di
Mar 8, 2020
Really enjoyed the theatre version of one of my favourite comedies. Ben Elton is a comedy genius who also knows his Shakespeare. Huge irreverent naughty fun.
Michism
Mar 8, 2020
What a brilliant show, funny from start to end, all main parts were as brilliant as they are in the series, also special mention to the young guy playing the African Prince. Highly recommend. Standing ovation at the end tells you all you need to know.
Howard
Mar 8, 2020
Ben Eltons excellent script is delivered very effectively by the cast ..excellent entertainment ..
Moira Baker
Mar 8, 2020
Loved it! Fast moving, witty, capricious. The bard would have loved it!
Chris
Mar 8, 2020
Brilliant, don't miss it !
Jurgita Lupeikyte
Mar 7, 2020
Best, funniest thing I have seen in years! Loved every minute!
SAW
Mar 7, 2020
While similar to the TV show this was funny inventive and did not disappoint.
Al
Mar 7, 2020
Amazing writing, made better by the length of the show and their ability to run more complex lines than in the series. We laughed non-stop. And then laughed even more as we talked about it afterwards. What a delight!
Angela
Mar 6, 2020
A great show, witty, clever and so well acted.... no ham!! only missing Lisa Tarbuck.
Ann Radley
Mar 6, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed the show Haven’t laughed so much in ages. Well directed and produced Good performance by all.
Linda
Mar 6, 2020
Clever, fast moving and laugh out loud funny. Just what the doctor ordered.
Jim Harrisson
Mar 6, 2020
Wonderful script brilliantly performed by superb actors.
Bazzerboy
Mar 6, 2020
An excellent evening, brilliantly acted, so well written, a must see !
Rose
Mar 6, 2020
Fantastic, excellent cast and content. Really enjoyed
mary
Mar 6, 2020
So puerile we left at half time
Stephen Colman
Mar 5, 2020
Brilliant, classic British comedy. Excellently transposed from TV to stage, hilariously funny!
Peter from Wiltshire
Mar 5, 2020
Pure brilliance - cast, writer, production and performance. Where do the cast get their energy from?
Madelaine Ward
Mar 5, 2020
Haven't laughter so much in an up to date comedy, especially with the diversity comments. The dress code amazing,especially the Doctor.
Maggy R, Sussex
Mar 5, 2020
A very enjoyable show, highly recommended