The Young Vic has revealed additional names joining the 20th-anniversary staging of Tim Crouch’s An Oak Tree.
Presented by Francesca Moody Productions in association with the London venue, the production will feature Crouch performing alongside a different guest artist at each performance. Which artist (who has not seen or read the play beforehand) will only be revealed to the audience on the night.
The story follows a father who has lost his daughter in a car accident and the driver of the car, who is a stage hypnotist. Their first meeting occurs when the father volunteers for the hypnotist’s act, resulting in an exploration of grief, suggestion, and the power of the mind.
An Oak Tree first premiered in 2005 and has since been performed in 19 countries, with over 350 guest artists, including Frances McDormand, Geoffrey Rush, Sharon D Clarke, Sophie Okonedo, and Peter Dinklage.
The play pioneered the concept of the theatrical ‘cold-read’, where guest performers enter the story without prior preparation. Directed by Crouch alongside Karl James and Andy Smith, the play includes music by Peter Gill.
Previously announced guest artists include Ṣọ́pẹ́ Dìrísù, Michelle Terry, Luke Thompson, Russell Tovey, and Indira Varma.
It has today been revealed that Adjoa Andoh, Jessie Buckley, Arthur Darvill, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Mark Gatiss and Alex Lawther will appear. Each will perform for one night only, joining Crouch live on stage on a date between 6 to 24 May 2025.
The Young Vic’s full 2025/26 season, the first under new artistic director Nadia Fall, will be announced later this year.
