Take a first look at production photos for Man and Boy at the National Theatre, starring Ben Daniels and Laurie Kynaston.
Terence Rattigan’s gripping drama of ambition, fatherhood and moral compromise is now playing in the Dorfman theatre at the National Theatre until 14 March 2026.
The production marks the National Theatre debut of director Anthony Lau, following acclaimed work on The Crucible. Lau brings a contemporary lens to Rattigan’s razor-sharp play, set against the glamour and impending collapse of 1930s New York.
Man and Boy stars Ben Daniels (The Normal Heart) as international financier Gregor Antonescu, opposite Laurie Kynaston (Long Day’s Journey into Night) as his estranged son Basil Anthony.
Photos: Man & Boy
Photos by Manuel Harlan
The cast of Man and Boy also features Phoebe Campbell (House of the Dragon) as Carol Penn, Isabella Laughland (The Vortex) as Countess Antonescu, Malcolm Sinclair (Pressure) as Mark Herries, Leo Wan (Chariots of Fire) as David Beeston and Nick Fletcher (Our Country’s Good, Minority Report) as Sven Johnson.
What is Man and Boy about? Jazz hums, Broadway dazzles and the Great Depression looms. In Rattigan’s 1930s Manhattan, Gregor Antonescu’s carefully constructed world is crumbling. When news of a disastrous business deal reverberates across the globe, Gregor seeks refuge in the apartment of the son he long abandoned. What follows is a tense reckoning, as buried truths surface and relationships fracture, while Gregor fights to salvage his reputation and keep his empire from total collapse.
Man & Boy – Rehearsal photos
Photos by Manuel Harlan
Joining director Anthony Lau in the creative team are set and costume designer Georgia Lowe, lighting designer Elliot Griggs, intimacy director Haruka Kuroda, choreographer and movement director Aline David, composer Angus MacRae, sound designer Giles Thomas, casting director Martin Poile CDG, dialect coach Aundrea Fudge and staff director Rachel Lemon.
Man and Boy – Plan your visit
- Theatre: Dorfman Theatre at the National Theatre, Southbank, London
- Booking until: 4 March 2026
- Performance schedule: Monday to Saturday evenings and Wednesday & Saturday matinees
- Running time: 2 hours 25 minutes (including interval)
- Tickets: Tickets for Man and Boy are now limited – check live ticket availability
POST UPDATES: First published 5 January 2026 with rehearsal photos; Updated 6 February 2026 with Man and Boy production images
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