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  • Running time 2 hours 35 minutes (including interval)

Mark Gatiss stars in Bertolt Brecht’s blistering satire The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Award-winning actor and writer Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, The League of Gentleman) makes his long-awaited RSC debut alongside BAFTA award-winning actor and comedian Mawaan Rizwan (Juice), Kadiff Kirwan (Slow Horses), double Olivier award-winner Janie Dee (The Truth), Christopher Godwin (Dope Girls) and LJ Parkinson (Drag King LoUis CYfer).

Directed by Seán Linnen in his first production for the Company. Brecht’s powerful 1941 “gangster spectacle” arrives at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, running from 11 April – 30 May 2026.

★★★★ “The RSC’s deliciously lurid revival… a big success for Gatiss” (The Times)

About the Production

Set in Chicago during the Great Depression, the play follows small-time crook Arturo Ui, a ruthless schemer who rises to power through intimidation, corruption and fear. As his criminal empire expands, Ui’s influence begins to infiltrate markets, politics and the law itself.

Stephen Sharkey’s new version of Brecht’s biting satire draws sharp parallels between Ui’s underworld manoeuvrings and the rise of fascism in Europe, exposing the fragility of democracy and the dangers of unchecked ambition.

Bringing this scorching allegory vividly to life, Linnen’s production transforms the Swan Theatre into a world of back-alley deals and simmering violence. With Gatiss in the title role, audiences can expect a darkly comic and chilling portrait of power’s corrupting force.

Book Arturo Ui Tickets

Don’t miss Mark Gatiss in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, a searing political satire and an unmissable event of the RSC’s 2026 season. Book your tickets today.

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is playing at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 11 April to 30 May 2026.

In Depression-era Chicago, small-time gangster Arturo Ui is hungry for power. Starting with protection rackets and backroom deals, Ui and his gang muscle their way into control of the city’s cauliflower trade. As his influence spreads, corruption seeps into the political system and the law itself, leaving ordinary citizens powerless against his reign of intimidation.

Brecht’s satire charts Ui’s rise from petty criminal to feared dictator, a chilling allegory of Hitler’s ascent to power. At once darkly comic and deeply unsettling, the play shows how fear, greed and complacency allow tyranny to thrive — and how easily it might be resisted.

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Stars and Creatives

Mark Gatiss | Actor Profile
Mark Gatiss | Actor Profile

Who is in the cast of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?

  • Mark Gatiss as Arturo Ui
  • Mawaan Rizwan as Giri
  • Kadiff Kirwan as Roma
  • Janie Dee as Betty Dullfeet
  • Christopher Godwin as Dogsborough
  • LJ Parkinson as Givola

The full cast includes Joe Alessi (Butcher/Dullfeet/Prosecution), Valerie Antwi (Ensemble/Swing), Mark Hammersley (Ensemble/Swing), Rebekah Hinds (Flake/Dockdaisy), Cameron Johnson (Mulberry/Jimmy Greenwool/The Judge), Samuel Nunes de Souza (Ensemble), Mahesh Parmar (Dogsborough’s Son/Fish/Inna), Santino Smith (Sheet/Hook) and Amanda Wilkin (Clark/Ragg/The Woman).

Who are the creative team of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui?

  • Playwright: Bertolt Brecht
  • Adaptation: Stephen Sharkey
  • Director: Seán Linnen
  • Set and Costume Design: Georgia Lowe

Creatives include: Lighting Designer Robbie Butler; Music Placebo – Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal; Sound Designer Johnny Edwards; Movement Director Jennifer Jackson; Fight Director Haruka Kuroda; Casting Director Christopher Worrall CDG; Music Director Richie Hart; Voice and Text Charmian Hoare; Costume Supervisor Harry Whitham; Assistant Director Mandeep Glover.

 

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Critics' reviews of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

★★★★★ "Magnificent" - The Guardian

★★★★ "The RSC’s deliciously lurid revival... a big success for Gatiss" - The Times

★★★★ "Mark Gatiss is hypnotic" - The Telegraph

★★★★ "Mark Gatiss gives a grippingly grotesque performance" - The Stage

★★★★ "The night is unquestionably Gatiss’" - What's On Stage

Frequently Asked Questions

The running time of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is 2 hours 35 minutes (including interval)
Yes, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui has matinee performances on the following days:
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