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  • Running time 2 hours and 30 minutes (including interval)
  • Age guidelines 15+

Get The Line of Beauty Tickets – London

Experience the world premiere of The Line of Beauty, a stunning new stage adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst’s Booker Prize-winning novel, now playing at London’s Almeida Theatre.

The Line of Beauty is a captivating portrait of Thatcher’s Britain at its most decadent and divisive, based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by “one of the greatest writers of our time” (The Guardian) Alan Hollinghurst. Olivier Award nominee Jack Holden’s (Cruise; Kenrex) new adaptation of this poignant book is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Grandage (Frozen, My Master Builder).

A hugely talented cast includes Charles Edwards (Best of Enemies, The Crown), Ian Charleson Award-winner Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Romeo & Juliet), and Jasper Talbot (Inter Alia) as Nick Guest.

About The Line of Beauty

Set in 1980s Notting Hill, The Line of Beauty follows Nick Guest, a young gay academic drawn into the glittering but precarious world of his friend’s affluent Conservative family. Amidst the political and social upheaval of Thatcher’s Britain, Nick navigates class, sexuality, love, and ambition — all in pursuit of beauty in its most dangerous forms.

Why See The Line of Beauty?

  • First-ever stage adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst’s iconic novel
  • Directed by Michael Grandage (My Master Builder, Frozen, Red)
  • Part of Rupert Goold’s final season at the Almeida Theatre
  • A gripping portrait of desire, privilege and politics in Thatcher’s Britain
  • A great cast including The Crown’s Charles Edwards

The Line of Beauty played at the Almeida Theatre in London from 21 October to 29 November 2025. There’s currently no news about a West End transfer for the play, but check back for details or sign-up for alerts.

“I can’t explain it. I can’t explain any of it to you. The line of beauty which led me to him… to here.”

London. Summer, 1983.

Nick Guest moves into the grand Notting Hill home of his university friend Toby — and into the dazzling world of Toby’s father Gerald, a newly elected Tory MP, his elegant wife Rachel, and their troubled daughter Cat. From private gardens to country estates, glittering parties to political dinners, Nick is swept up in a world of money, power and privilege. A world that promises everything — and exacts a cost.

As he pursues beauty in all its forms — aesthetic, erotic, aspirational — Nick finds himself caught between the freedoms of desire and the rigid boundaries of class, sexuality and public image in a rapidly changing Britain.

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Videos & Photos

Stars and Creatives

Charles Edwards | Actor Profile
Charles Edwards | Actor Profile
Jasper Talbot | Actor Profile
Jasper Talbot | Actor Profile

Who is in the cast of The Line of Beauty?

Starring Jasper Talbot (Inter Alia) as Nick Guest; Charles Edwards (Best of Enemies, The Crown) as Gerald Fedden; Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Romeo & Juliet) as Rosemary Charles; Ellie Bamber (The Lady from the Sea) as Catherine Fedden; Doreene Blackstock (A Raisin in the Sun) as Mrs Charles; Arty Froushan (Leopoldstadt) as Wani Ouradi; Claudia Harrison (Hamlet Hail to the Thief) as Rachel Fedden; Matt Mella (Checkpoint Chana) as Pete/Ricky; Hannah Morrish (The Brightening Air) as Penny Kent/Sophie Tipper; Alistair Nwachukwu (Choir Boy) as Leo Charles; Robert Portal (The Boy Friend) as Badger; and Leo Suter (Romeo & Juliet) as Toby Fedden.

The Line of Beauty - Almeida Theatre - Casting

 

Who are the creative team of The Line of Beauty?

  • Based on the novel by Alan Hollinghurst
  • Adapted by Jack Holden
  • Director: Michael Grandage
  • Set & Costume Designer: Christopher Oram
  • Lighting Designer: Howard Hudson
  • Sound Designer & Composer: Adam Cork
  • Movement & Intimacy Director: Ben Wright
  • Casting Director: Sophie Holland CDG

Important Notes

Access Performances: Audio Described Sat 8 Nov 2pm (Touch Tour 12pm); Captioned Mon 17 Nov 7.30pm; Relaxed Environment Wed 19 Nov 2pm & 7.30pm

Content warning: This production includes depictions of sex and drug usage, references to suicide, self-harm, HIV, mental illness, racist and homophobic language.

Venue Information

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Critics' reviews of The Line of Beauty

★★★★ "A wild, witty ride" - The Independent

★★★★ "Elegiac and moving" - Financial Times

★★★★ "It’s hard not to be seduced by this beautiful staging" - The Telegraph

★★★★ "Rich and compelling" - The i

★★★★ "Hugely entertaining" - Evening Standard

"A gorgeous adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst’s novel... so beautifully done - lucid, spare, smart, heartfelt, a novel’s complexities captured in a precise, vivid narrative." - Russell T Davies

Also see: The Line of Beauty Reviews Round-up

Frequently Asked Questions

The running time of The Line of Beauty is 2 hours and 30 minutes (including interval)
The age recommendations for The Line of Beauty are: 15+
Yes, The Line of Beauty has matinee performances on the following days:
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