• Venue Old Vic, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 19 September 2026
  • Offer: Save up to 43% Valid select performances  to 19 Sep 2026 . Book by 13 Sep

Book now for How the Other Half Loves, Alan Ayckbourn’s ingenious 1969 marriage farce, starring Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson, in a masterful in-the-round revival directed by Phillip Breen at the Old Vic.

How the Other Half Loves in London

Alan Ayckbourn’s hit comedy How the Other Half Loves returns to London with a limited run at the Old Vic from 29 July –19 September 2026.

Roger Allam (Endeavour, The Thick of It) and Dorothy Atkinson (Ludwig, Mum) will star as Frank and Fiona Foster.

Phillip Breen (Party, Sex With A Stranger) directs, and rounding out the creative team are: set & costume by Rob Howell, lighting by Azusa Ono, and sound by Dyfan Jones. The full creative team will be announced at a later date.

Playwright Alan Ayckbourn is one of the most prolific and widely performed of living English language playwrights and a highly regarded theatre director. He has written 74 full length plays and has won numerous Olivier, Tony and Moliere Awards for his work.

What to expect

Expect a night of brilliantly constructed farce, built around Ayckbourn’s celebrated theatrical trick: two dinner parties, on two consecutive nights, staged simultaneously in front of the audience across a single overlapping set. It’s a dazzlingly clever piece of stagecraft, packed with excruciating misunderstandings and genuine belly laughs, alongside a sharp, still-resonant streak of social and marital satire beneath the comedy.

Book How the Other Half Loves tickets

How the Other Half Loves plays at the Old Vic until 19 September 2026. With outstanding reviews and Roger Allam leading a celebrated cast, demand is expected to remain high for the remainder of the run, early booking is recommended.

When Fiona Foster and Bob Phillips are each accused of having an affair by their spouses, they use the innocent and unsuspecting Featherstones as an alibi, dragging them into a web of chaos and confusion. As the lives of the three couples intertwine, the lies deepen and mayhem ensues in one of theatre’s most entertaining comedies.

The play that cemented Alan Ayckbourn as one of Britain’s greatest modern playwrights, How the Other Half Loves is a raucous take on sex, class and marital misunderstanding.

“Roger Allam dominates the stage”
The Independent
“Director Phillip Breen delivers a masterful interpretation of Ayckbourn’s How The Other Half Loves”
WhatsOnStage
“Every pause, every hesitation, every bumbled phrase is a delight.”
The Times

Performance Information

Check booking calendar for full details

Tickets by Month
Aug 2026
Sep 2026

Stars and Creatives

Who is in the cast of How the Other Half Loves?

  • Frank Foster: Roger Allam
  • Fiona Foster: Dorothy Atkinson
  • Bob Phillips: Rowan Polonski
  • Teresa Phillips: Ayesha Antoine
  • William Featherstone: Adam Gillen
  • Mary Featherstone: Laura Elsworthy

Who are the creative team of How the Other Half Loves?

  • Writer: Alan Ayckbourn
  • Director: Phillip Breen
  • Set & Costume: Rob Howell
  • Lighting: Azusa Ono
  • Sound: Dyfan Jones
  • Casting: Ruby Gilmour
  • Voice: Joel Trill
  • Fights: Kev McCurdy
  • Associate Director: Phillippe Cato
  • Associate Costume: Lucy Gaiger
  • Wigs, Hair & Make-Up: Campbell Young Associates

Important Notes

Access Performances:
  • Audio Described: Saturday 12 September at 2.30pm (Touch Tour 12noon) & Monday 14 September at 7.30pm (Touch Tour 5.30pm)
  • BSL: Wednesday 09 September, 7.30pm & Saturday 12 September, 2.30pm 
  • Captioned: Friday 11 September at 7.30pm & Saturday 12 September at 2.30pm
  • Relaxed: Saturday 12 September, 2.30pm (Touch Tour 12noon)

Venue Information

Old Vic , Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8NB

Nearest Tube or Train: Waterloo (Jubilee line, Northern line, Bakerloo line)

Nearest Buses: 1, 68, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 501

Directions

Google Apple

Critics' reviews of How the Other Half Loves

Roger Allam dominates the stage

Director Phillip Breen delivers a masterful interpretation of Ayckbourn’s How The Other Half Loves

A terrific cast

Every pause, every hesitation, every bumbled phrase is a delight.

toe-curling enjoyment

Also see: How the Other Half Loves Reviews Round-up

Frequently Asked Questions

How the Other Half Loves is playing at the Old Vic in London
To buy official London Theatre tickets to How the Other Half Loves, click on the Get Tickets button at the top of this page. You will be able to access the booking calendar to check live ticket availability and prices and see any exclusive offers or discounts. You will be purchasing tickets from an authorised retailer and member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers.
Yes, How the Other Half Loves has matinee performances on the following days: Wednesday, Saturday
Yes, there are currently ticket offers available for How the Other Half Loves: Ticket Offer - Save up to 43%, with tickets from £29. Click on the Find Tickets button to see available offer dates.

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