Martin Guerre Returns to The Old Vic: A 30-Year London Revival
A Forgotten Masterpiece Comes Home to Waterloo
For those who love West End theatre, October marks something genuinely special: the return of Martin Guerre to The Old Vic on The Cut in Waterloo, a venue that’s become synonymous with bold, character-driven revivals. This isn’t just any revival—it’s a complete reimagining of a show that’s been largely absent from London stages since 1998, when it quietly closed after its initial run at the Prince Edward Theatre near Soho.
Created by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, the masterminds behind Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre has had a complicated history. It opened in 1996 to poor reviews, was substantially reworked midway through its run, and even underwent further revisions for an American production that never quite found its footing on Broadway. Yet through all those iterations, something compelling remained—a story about identity, trust, and the stories we tell ourselves.
This October’s production, directed by Matthew Warchus in his final season as The Old Vic’s Artistic Director, approaches the material afresh. The score has been reshaped with new folk-inflected orchestrations, lyrics have been rewritten, and the entire production is staged in the round—a staging choice that puts audiences intimately close to the action.
Local Theatre Community Steps Up for Limited Run
The Old Vic’s commitment to Martin Guerre involves a carefully assembled creative team and cast that brings real depth to this resurrection. Leading the charge is Liv Andrusier, known for her standout work in Fiddler on the Roof, playing Bertrande de Rols, the emotional heart of this reimagined narrative. She’s joined by a rotating dual casting for Martin himself—Alex James-Hatton and Shane O’Riordan share the lead role—a choice that reinforces the show’s central themes about identity and who gets to define it.
The supporting ensemble reflects the kind of cross-generational, community-minded casting The Old Vic has championed for years. Colin Ryan (My Brilliant Friend), Caroline Sheen (9 to 5), and emerging talent like Barney Wilkinson and Nathaniel Purnell round out a company that includes understudies and ensemble performers from across London’s theatre community. For local acting coaches, drama schools, and aspiring performers watching from Southwark and beyond, this casting represents the kind of meaningful employment opportunities that keep theatre alive in our neighbourhoods.
This is a five-week limited run—October 1-31, 2026—making it genuinely unmissable for anyone invested in West End theatre’s future.
What Londoners Need to Know Before Booking
Set in 16th-century France, Martin Guerre tells the story of a village torn apart by questions of authenticity and belonging. A young man leaves his wife Bertrande and disappears for years, fighting in foreign wars. When someone returns claiming to be him—seemingly improved, kinder, more devoted—the village cautiously accepts his return. But as time passes, suspicions mount. Is this truly Martin, or an impostor? And does it matter if everyone’s life has been rebuilt around this new identity?
What makes Matthew Warchus’s production distinctive is its focus on Bertrande’s agency. Rather than centring the mystery around the returning man, this version asks what a woman chooses to believe, and why. It’s a reframing that speaks directly to contemporary audiences while honouring the show’s emotional complexity.
Tickets are on sale now for the October run. Press night is Tuesday 20 October 2026, but you don’t need to wait—this is the kind of limited theatrical moment that tends to sell out among serious theatregoers. The Old Vic is easily accessible from Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, or Westminster, making it convenient for anyone across central London. This is Matthew Warchus’s final season leading the venue, which adds genuine weight to Martin Guerre’s presence in the programme. Don’t miss it.
Source: Everything you need to know about Martin Guerre at the Old Vic, London | West End Theatre
