The Motive and the Cue, the new play by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's Jack Thorne that opened at London's National Theatre in May, transfers to the Noël Coward Theatre beginning December 9. The production will officially open December 18 for a limited engagement through March 23, 2024.

Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, and Tuppence Middleton reprise their roles as Richard Burton, John Gielgud, and Elizabeth Taylor, respectively.

They are joined by Allan Corduner as Hume Cronyn, Sarah Woodward as Eileen Herlie, Rebecca Collingwood as Linda Marsh, Luke Norris as William Redfield, Laurence Ubong Williams as Hugh McHaffie, Elena Delia as Jessica Levy, Huw Parmenter as Clement Fowler, Shaun Yusuf McKee as Robert Milli, Adam Sina as Frederick Young, Ryan Ellsworth as George Voskovec, Daniel Krikler as Dillon Evans and Waiter, David Tarkenter as Alfred Drake, Kate Tydman as Christine Cooper, Mark Extance as Mick Burrows, and Stephanie Siadatan as Susannah Mason.

Sam Mendes directs the play, which played the National's Lyttelton. Read the reviews for the National engagement here.

Inspired by the making of John Gielgud’s Hamlet, as well as Letters from an Actor by William Redfield and John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L. Sterne, The Motive and the Cue focuses on Burton, who is newly married to Taylor and set to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under Gielgud’s direction. As rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

The production also has set design by Es Devlin, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, lighting design by Jon Clark, music by composer Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound design by Paul Arditti, casting by Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham, and associate direction by Zoé Ford Burnett.

National Theatre Director and Chief Executive Rufus Norris said in an earlier statement, “We’re delighted to be transferring The Motive and the Cue to the Noël Coward Theatre later this year continuing our collaboration with Neal Street Productions. Sam Mendes’ production brings the theatrical process to life so vividly, perfectly capturing that heady time in history, with Mark, Johnny, and Tuppence playing these well-loved characters with whom we are all so familiar."

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