The Old Vic has revealed the full cast for its upcoming revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s 1969 comedy How The Other Half Loves, directed by Phillip Breen. The production promises a return to the play’s original in-the-round staging and runs from July to September 2026.

Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson will headline the cast of How The Other Half Loves at the Old Vic, which opens on 29 July 2026 with a press night on 11 August. The production also features Ayesha Antoine, Laura Elsworthy, Adam Gillen, and Rowan Polonski in key roles.

Phillip Breen directs the revival, marking the return of Alan Ayckbourn’s breakthrough play to the in-the-round configuration for which it was originally written. The play explores the tangled lives of three couples caught in a web of accusations and misunderstandings revolving around infidelity.

Breen described the production as an opportunity for a new generation to experience Ayckbourn’s work, noting its “big laughs and its deep sadnesses.” He highlighted Ayckbourn’s reputation as one of the English stage’s great formal pioneers, citing the play’s innovative use of space and time.

The creative team includes set and costume designer Rob Howell, lighting designer Azusa Ono, sound designer Dyfan Jones, and associate director Phillippe Cato. The costume team features associate designer Lucy Gaiger and wigs, hair, and make-up by Campbell Young Associates.

How The Other Half Loves is celebrated as an important early success in Ayckbourn’s career, showcasing his distinctive blend of comedy and structural experimentation. The Old Vic’s revival promises to bring this classic work vividly back to life for contemporary audiences.

Tickets for the production are currently on sale, offering London theatre-goers a chance to revisit or discover one of Ayckbourn’s most influential plays in a fresh staging.