No longer booking
  • Venue Harold Pinter Theatre, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 7 October 2023
  • Running time 2 hours 50 minutes (including interval)
  • Age guidelines 14+

★★★★★ “Mark Rylance mesmerises” – The Observer

Mark Rylance returns to the West End in Dr Semmelweis, playing one of medicine’s greatest pioneers – maverick Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis, the man whose research could save many millions of mothers’ lives.

Following a “smash hit” (Mail on Sunday), sold-out run at Bristol Old Vic, this “compelling new drama” (The Telegraph) comes to the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End for a strictly limited 14-week run this summer.

Directed by Tom Morris, the show features live music by Adrian Sutton and original choreography by Antonia Franceschi of Balanchine’s New York City Ballet.

Oscar, BAFTA, Tony and Olivier award-winning actor Mark Rylance leads the cast of Dr Semmelweis, and in a unique theatrical event, Rylance and the cast are joined on stage by 10 ballet dancers and the Salome string Quartet.

Dr Semmelweis is playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 7 October 2023.

Set in 19th century Vienna, the play centres on a maverick doctor who makes a discovery that could save hundreds of thousands, but is rejected by the mainstream medical establishment. Years later he is haunted by the ghosts of the women he failed to save and questions if it’s too late to convince the medical establishment.

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Performance Information

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Stars and Creatives

Who is in the cast of Dr Semmelweis ?

Mark Rylance as Dr Semmelweis.

The company are: Roseanna Anderson (Marja Seidel/ Baroness Maria-Teresa), Zoe Arshamian (Dance Ensemble), Joshua Ben-Tovim (Hospital Porter/ Death), Ewan Black (Franz Arneth), Chrissy Brooke (Lisa Elstein), Megumi Eda (Aiko Eda), Suzy Halstead (Violet-May Blackledge), Felix Hayes (Ferdinand von Hebra), Pauline McLynn (Anna Müller), Jude Owusu (Jakob Kolletschka), Oxana Panchenko (Dance Ensemble), Millie Thomas (Agnes Barta), Max Westwell (Hospital Porter/ Death), Amanda Wilkin (Maria Semmelweis), Alan Williams (Johann Klein), Daniel York Loh (Karl von Rokitansky), Patricia Zhou (Dance Ensemble), and Helen Belbin, Jason Hogan, Andrew McDonald, with the Salomé Quartet – Haim Choi as Suk Hee Apfelbaum (Music Director/ Violin 1), Coco Inman as Sarah Schmidt (Violin 2), Kasia Zimińska  as Eszter Horowitz (Viola) and Shizuku Tatsuno  as Oshizu Yukimura (Cello).

Who are the creative team of Dr Semmelweis ?

Written by Stephen Brown with Mark Rylance, based on an original idea by Mark Rylance

Directed by Tom Morris; Set and Costume Design by Ti Green; Lighting Design by Richard Howell; Choreography by Antonia Franceschi; Music by Adrian Sutton.

Important Notes

Content warning:

Age guidance 14+. References to suicide, and infant and maternal mortality.

Venue Information

Harold Pinter Theatre , 6 Panton Street, London, SW1Y 4DN

Nearest Tube or Train: Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly line, Bakerloo line)

Nearest Buses: 3, 6, 9, 12, 14, 15, 19, 22, 23, 24, 29, 38, 88, 91, 94, 139, 159, 176, 453

Directions

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Critics' reviews of Dr Semmelweis

★★★★★ "Mark Rylance mesmerises" - The Observer

★★★★ "One of Mark Rylance’s greatest achievements" - The Times

★★★★ "Mark Rylance is magnetic in urgent tale of scientific discovery" - The Evening Standard

★★★★ "Mark Rylance is astonishing – again – in this unsettling, atmospheric drama" - TimeOut

★★★★ "The evening freshly grips" - Telegraph

★★★★ "Mark Rylance gives a fascinating, febrile performance" - The Stage

★★★★ "It’s beautiful and sorrowful, and at its centre is Rylance... His performance is mercurial" - Financial Times

★★★★ "Rylance fans can’t afford to miss it" - Daily Mail

Also see: Dr Semmelweis Reviews Round-up

Frequently Asked Questions

Dr Semmelweis is playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London
The running time of Dr Semmelweis is 2 hours 50 minutes (including interval)
The age recommendations for Dr Semmelweis are: 14+
Yes, Dr Semmelweis has matinee performances on the following days: Thursday, Saturday
No, sorry, Dr Semmelweis has now completed its run and is no longer on sale.

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