No longer booking
  • Venue Barbican Theatre, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 17 January 2026
  • Running time 2 hours 55 minutes (includes interval)

Barbican Theatre, London
Latest run finished: 17 January 2026

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is one of the most frequently staged plays in London, regularly performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe and major West End theatres.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s latest London production ran at the Barbican Theatre from 8 December 2025 to 17 January 2026, starring Samuel West and Freema Agyeman.

Visitors searching for Twelfth Night tickets in London should note that the latest run has now finished. New productions of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy regularly appear in London theatres.

Discover London plays and Shakespeare productions currently booking.

About Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

First performed around 1602, Twelfth Night is one of William Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, blending romance, mistaken identity and bittersweet reflection on love and longing.

The play begins when Viola is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria. Believing her twin brother Sebastian has drowned, she disguises herself as a man called Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino.

But complications soon follow. Orsino is in love with Olivia, Olivia falls for Cesario, and Viola secretly falls in love with Orsino. As disguises unravel and identities are revealed, Shakespeare delivers a joyful and deeply human story about love, identity and self-discovery.

The 2025–2026 RSC Production

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Twelfth Night transferred from Stratford-upon-Avon to the Barbican Theatre in London for a limited winter season.

Directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah, the revival brought a fresh and emotionally rich interpretation to Shakespeare’s romantic comedy.

The production featured:

  • Samuel West (Slow Horses, All Creatures Great and Small) as Malvolio
  • Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who, New Amsterdam) as Olivia
  • Michael Grady-Hall (Imperium, Venice Preserved) as Feste

The show also featured original music by singer-songwriter Matt Maltese, adding a distinctive musical dimension to the production.

A Celebrated Shakespeare Revival

Praised as “inspired and spellbinding” (★★★★ – The Stage), the production combined bold visual storytelling with moving performances from a company of RSC actors.

Designer James Cotterill created striking stage imagery that enhanced the play’s themes of disguise, transformation and emotional revelation.

The production ran at the Barbican Theatre in London from 8 December 2025 to 17 January 2026.

Discover More London Theatre

Although this RSC production of Twelfth Night has now finished, there are many exciting plays and Shakespeare productions currently performing in London. Discover new and classic plays in London and the West End.

‘I was adored once too.’

A woman survives a shipwreck and washes up on an unknown shore. Alone and bereaved of her twin brother, she embarks on a secret new life as a go-between for two people in the extremity of love and grief. Caught up in the ensuing love triangle she experiences the chaos and humanity of unexpected love; and she discovers that in Illyria, everyone is hiding something.

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Performance Information

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Stars and Creatives

Who is in the cast of Twelfth Night (RSC)?

Starring Samuel West (Malvolio), Freema Agyeman (Olivia) and Michael Grady-Hall (Feste), Gwyneth Keyworth (Viola) and Daniel Monks (Orsino).

The full cast comprises:  Emily Benjamin (Priest), Norman Bowman (Antonio), George Fletcher (Second Officer/Orsino’s Attendant), Demetri Goritsas (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Danielle Henry (Maria),  Michael Lyle (First Officer/Orsino’s Attendant), Cat McKeever (Sea Captain), Daniel Millar (Fabian), Reece Miller (Orsino’s Attendant), Charlotte O’Leary (Olivia’s Woman), Thom Petty (Curio), Rhys Rusbatch (Sebastian), Joplin Sibtain (Sir Toby Belch), Tom Sowinski (Orsino’s Attendant) and David Whitworth (Valentine).

Who are the creative team of Twelfth Night (RSC)?

  • Written by William Shakespeare
  • Directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah
  • Music by Matt Maltese
  • Music director is Lindsey Miller
  • Set & Costume Design by James Cotterill
  • Lighting Design by Zoe Spurr & Bethany Gupwell
  • Sound Design by George Dennis
  • Voice & text by Jeannette Nelson
  • Movement Director is Polly Bennett
  • Associate Design by Ania Levy
  • Music associate, arranger and additional music by Zac Gvi
  • Assistant director is Zoë Templeman-Young
  • Casting Director is Matthew Dewsbury CDG

Venue Information

Barbican Theatre , Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Nearest Tube or Train: Barbican (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City)

Nearest Buses: (Beech Street) 76, 153; (City Road) 21, 43, 141, 205, 214, 271

Directions

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Critics' reviews of Twelfth Night (RSC)

★★★★ "Completely intoxicating" - The Independent (London)

★★★★ "A delightful maximalist feast" - The Standard (London)

★★★★ "A superb, tinsel-inflected take on Shakespeare’s melancholy comedy... Samuel West achieves greatness" - The Guardian (Stratford-upon-Avon)

★★★★ "This bubblingly ingenious production is full of winning turns" - The Telegraph (Stratford-upon-Avon)

★★★★ "Inspired and spellbinding" - The Stage (Stratford-upon-Avon)

★★★★ "The RSC has a proper festive winner on its hands" - What's On Stage (Stratford-upon-Avon)

Frequently Asked Questions

Twelfth Night (RSC) is playing at the Barbican Theatre in London
The running time of Twelfth Night (RSC) is 2 hours 55 minutes (includes interval)
Yes, Twelfth Night (RSC) has matinee performances on the following days: Thursday, Saturday
No, sorry, Twelfth Night (RSC) has now completed its run and is no longer on sale.

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