The Doctor, Almeida Theatre

Robert Icke, the Olivier Award-winning director sometimes referred to as ‘the great hope of British theatre’ is stepping down from his role as associate director of the Almeida Theatre in Islington. Before he does, though, he’s staging one final play: The Doctor.

The new play, written and directed by Icke is, in his words, ‘very freely adapted from’ Austrian playwright and novelist H Arthur Schnitzler’s 1912 play Professor Bernhardi. The play is traditionally billed as a comedy in five acts, but on a deeper level explores antisemitism and Austrian-Jewish identity. With antisemitism rows and allegations making headlines in the UK only recently, we imagine Icke’s The Doctor will be a timely and relevant adaptation.

Among the cast is Olivier Award-winning actress Juliet Stevenson, who previously starred in Icke’s Mary Stuart at the Almeida in 2016 and in its revival at the Duke of York’s theatre in 2018. In between the runs, Stevenson played Gertrude in Icke’s equally successful production of Hamlet (2017), which ran at the Almeida before transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Also confirmed among the cast is Ria Zmitrowicz, who is currently playing the role of Irina in Cordelia Lynn's adaptation of Three Sisters, which is on at the Almeida until 1 June.

In addition to his Hamlet and Mary Stuart, Icke has directed several other acclaimed productions during his stint as associate director of the Almeida, including a production of Chekov’s Uncle Vanya, Aeschylus' Oresteia and most recently, Ibsen’s Wild Duck. The Doctor is Icke’s final production in his role at the Almeida before he departs to pursue freelance projects.

Tickets are on sale from 28 May