The Cherry Orchard West End run opens at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 3 October, and for anyone in Brighton weighing up a reason to hop on the train to London this autumn, this is a strong one. Sonia Friedman Productions’ new staging brings together Kristin Scott Thomas and Stephen Mangan in Chekhov’s final play, in a new adaptation by Conor McPherson and directed by Ian Rickson — a pairing with real pedigree behind it.
With London Victoria roughly an hour from Brighton station, an evening performance is an entirely realistic plan: train up after lunch, dinner near Panton Street, curtain up, train home.
What The Cherry Orchard Is About
Chekhov’s final masterpiece follows Lyubov Ranevskaya, who returns to her childhood estate after years abroad to find her family home — and its beloved cherry orchard — under threat. As old loyalties falter and new ambitions take hold, a world built on privilege begins to crumble. “Without the cherry orchard, life has no meaning to me,” Lyubov says — a line that captures the play’s pull between memory and the future, as relevant now as when it was written.
A Cast Worth Travelling For
Kristin Scott Thomas, a BAFTA winner and Olivier Award-winner for her role in Rickson’s acclaimed production of The Seagull, leads as Lyubov Ranevskaya. She’s joined by Stephen Mangan — familiar from The Split and Episodes — as Lopakhin, reuniting with Rickson after their work together on Pinter’s The Birthday Party in 2018.
The wider cast includes Ruby Bentall, Megan Cusack, Karl Johnson, Noof Ousellam, Jack Riddiford, Vinette Robinson, Shubham Saraf and Peter Wight, with further casting still to be announced. Behind the scenes, the creative team brings together some of British theatre’s most decorated names, including set designer Chloe Lamford, lighting designer Bruno Poet and composer Stephen Warbeck.
The Cherry Orchard West End: Dates and Practical Details
The production runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton Street, London SW1Y 4DN, from 3 October 2026 to 9 January 2027, with press night on 13 October. Performances run Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Accessible performances are also scheduled: a BSL-interpreted performance on Saturday 7 November, a captioned performance on Saturday 14 November, and an audio-described performance on Saturday 31 October, all at 2.30pm.
Tickets and full booking details are available via the official Cherry Orchard website.
