Woyzeck
Woyzeck
Starring John Boyega (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens).
‘People like us are unhappy in this world and in the next: if we made it to heaven, we’d have to help make it thunder.’
The multi-award winning Jack Thorne breathes new life into Woyzeck, one of the most influential plays ever written, creating for our time what Büchner intended for his: an unforgettable howl of rage.
It’s 1980s Berlin. The Cold War rages and the world sits at a crossroads between Capitalism and Communism. On the border between East and West, a young soldier (John Boyega) and the love of his life are desperately trying to build a better future for their child. But the cost of escaping poverty is high, and its tragic consequences unfold in this searing tale of the people society leaves behind.
★★★★★ 'There won’t be many better performances this year' - Radio Times
★★★★ 'Exceptionally powerful' - The Independent
★★★★ 'Jack Thorne has sprinkled magic over Georg Büchner’s masterpiece' - Evening Standard
★★★★ 'Star Wars actor John Boyega shines in a fierce, contemporary version of Büchner’s classic play' - The Stage
- Cast
John Boyega (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens)
Ben Batt
Nancy Carroll
Sarah Greene
Steffan Rhodri- Duration
Running length: 2 hours 10 mins
1st act – 50 mins
Interval – 20 mins
2nd act – 60 mins
Additional Details & FAQ
- Cancellation Policy
No refunds available after purchase.
- How Does It Work
Please collect tickets from the box office before the show.
- Suitable For Children
Recommended for ages 16+. Contains very strong language and sexual content.
- Where Do I Go
The Old Vic, The Cut, London, SE1 8NB
Reviews
Andreann
Jun 24, 2017
The Play was superbly done! Great acting all round. The play was perhaps a bit too dark for me towards the end but on the whole I really enjoyed it and wish I could see it again!
M Pilbeam
Jun 22, 2017
I read that this new version had been written to make the play 'accessible to modern audiences'. If this requires wall to wall swearing, sex, nudity, excessive violence and a drab script, I am sorry for the taste of modern audiences. I know that Büchner did not complete his play, and that it therefore lays itself open to all sorts of interpretations, but I missed the sublety, the sense of foreboding, the glimpses of real warmth, the melancholy, the slow upbuilding of Woyzeck's madness through the treatment of the Captain and the Doctor, in short the way in which the audience's imagination and emotions are brought into play which I find in at least one version I am familiar with and which I feel were Büchner's intent. The cast, especially Mr Boyega and Miss Greene, did the best they could, but I am afraid I found this production an insult to me as a theater-goer.
RG
Jun 22, 2017
This was a visceral theatre experience, not always comfortable, but definitely worth it. Boyega's performance was terrific - as was the rest of the cast. Menacing, brooding set & sound design.
Etim
Jun 14, 2017
John and the crew were fantastic! Bravo!
Sammy
Jun 13, 2017
Emotional and serious play that had my full attention. Great moments of comic relief. John Boyega executes the role brilliantly.
skywalker
Jun 3, 2017
enjoyed lighting and set found adaptation a stretch from original found themes compromised unnecessary sexual content cheap laughs
Em
Jun 1, 2017
I was really excited to watch the play as I've never been to the Old Vic before. We were going to bring our students to watch the performance but I'm glad we didn't. The crude, vulgar language and nudity were not needed for Buchner's play. Do you really think to make his message relevant to a modern audience that that is what we require? Surely some warning of nudity should be issued when booking tickets. Too much of the original was lost for me. Maybe my hopes and expectations were too high but I was sadly very let down.