Lungs, Old Vic Theatre

Claire Foy and Matt Smith are set to make their Old Vic debuts in an upcoming production of Duncan Macmillan’s 2011 plays Lungs. Having starred together in hit Netflix series The Crown as the Queen and Prince Philip, the pair will be coupling up once more, albeit trading Buckingham Palace for the Ikea checkout queue in the play’s opening exchange.

The only two characters in Lungs, M (Smith) and W (Foy) find not just their relationship but also their existential contentment under strain when he asks whether she’d like to try for a baby. Obviously, in theory – but how can they justify bringing a child into an already-overpopulated world suffering under the spectre of impending climate catastrophe?

An emotional rollercoaster is in store, and there’s no escaping the clear timeliness of this production – Lungs should feel hyper-relevant in the aftermath of Extinction Rebellion’s high-profile April protests, whilst the reflections of its thirtysomething protagonists on the big decisions of young adult life will surely strike a chord with anyone feeling the rub in these anxious times.

Dates are yet to be confirmed and director Matthew Warchus has confirmed it'll be ‘an extremely limited run’ – neither of which is surprising given the busy calendars of its highly-rated stars.

Public booking for Lungs at the Old Vic is now open. Click here for tickets.