The National Theatre has announced the cast for the West End transfer of the critically acclaimed production, Till the Stars Come Down. Co-produced with Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Fiery Angel, Short Street Productions, and Access Entertainment, this “excellent family drama” (★★★★★ Daily Telegraph) will be staged at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 1 July until 27 September 2025. Audience members can immerse themselves in this “wedding of the year” (★★★★★ The Guardian) with on-stage seating available throughout the run. Tickets start at £20.
Joining the cast are Dorothy Atkinson (Ludwig, BBC; Saltburn, Warner Bros) as Aunty Carol, Adrian Bower (Gangs of London, Sky; Teachers, BBC) as John, Julian Kostov (The White Lotus, HBO; Shadow and Bone, Netflix) as Marek, Aisling Loftus (Girls and Boys, Nottingham Playhouse; Sherwood, BBC) as Maggie, and Ruby Thompson (Three Sisters, Shakespeare’s Globe; Aftersun, Mubi) as Leanne.
Reprising their roles are Lucy Black (Top Girls, National Theatre; The Durrells, ITV) as Hazel, Sinéad Matthews (The Antipodes, National Theatre; Hullraisers, Channel 4) as Sylvia, Philip Whitchurch (Boys from the Blackstuff, Royal Court Liverpool/National Theatre; Peterloo, Entertainment One) as Uncle Pete, and Alan Williams (Faith, Hope and Charity, National Theatre; Chernobyl, Sky) as Tony. Further casting will be announced.
Till the Stars Come Down is a passionate, heartbreaking, and hilarious portrayal of a larger-than-life family. Written by former National Theatre writer-in-residence, Beth Steel, this production “fizzes with sharp comic observation” (★★★★ Financial Times) and is “laugh out loud funny” (★★★★★ WhatsOnStage). Steel’s other credits include The House of Shades (Almeida Theatre), Wonderland (Hampstead Theatre), and Ditch (HighTide Festival and Old Vic Tunnels). She previously won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright in 2014.
Directed by Bijan Sheibani, an Olivier Award-winning director, Till the Stars Come Down is a “beautifully observed and bruisingly hilarious” production (★★★★ Time Out). Sheibani’s other credits include Barber Shop Chronicles, A Taste of Honey (National Theatre), and The Arrival (Bush Theatre).
The story revolves around Sylvia and Marek’s wedding, inviting the audience to witness a family gathering over a hot summer’s day. As the vodka flows and dances are shared, passions boil over, testing the limits of love. What happens when the happiest day of your life opens the door to a new and uncertain future?
Sheibani is joined by set and costume designer Samal Blak, lighting designer Paule Constable, choreographer and movement director Aline David, sound designer Gareth Fry, revival director Elin Schofield, original casting director Alastair Coomer CDG, casting director Juliet Horsley CDG, dialect coach Charmian Hoare, intimacy director Asha Jennings-Grant, fight director Kev McCurdy, and resident director Alex Pritchett.
Till the Stars Come Down was originally commissioned by the National Theatre and developed with the theatre’s New Work department while Steel was writer-in-residence (2019-2021). It premiered on 31 January 2024 in the Dorfman Theatre and was Steel’s debut play at the National Theatre, running until 16 March. Following a sold-out run, it was nominated for ‘Best New Play’ at the 2024 Olivier Awards.
Till the Stars Come Down in the West End is supported by American Express, the National Theatre’s Official Payment Partner.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
