When I say sleep, you’re free again.
A father loses his daughter in a car accident. The driver of the car that killed her is a stage hypnotist. The two men meet for the first time when the father volunteers for the hypnotist’s act. What follows is a live theatrical experience like no other – a bold and absurdly comic story of loss, suggestion and the power of the mind.
The Young Vic Theatre has announced an extension to Tim Crouch’s An Oak Tree, now playing from 6 – 24 May 2025. An Oak Tree is presented by Francesca Moody Productions, the Olivier Award-winning producers of Fleabag and Baby Reindeer, in association with the Young Vic in the ground-breaking play’s 20th anniversary year. Written, performed and co-directed by award-winning theatre maker, writer, actor and director Tim Crouch, this bold, absurdly comic, and profoundly moving story of loss, suggestion, and the power of the mind pioneered the idea of the theatrical ‘cold-read’ and has significantly influenced other artists that have gone on to explore this form.
In every performance, a different guest artist steps into the unknown, having never seen, read or rehearsed the play before who will only perform it once during the run. Since its premiere in 2005, over 350 different guest artists including Frances McDormand, Geoffrey Rush, Sharon D Clarke, Alanis Morrissette, Sophie Okonedo and Peter Dinklage have appeared in the play in 19 different countries from Lithuania, Argentina and the UK to Hong Kong, Australia and the USA. An Oak Tree is directed by Tim Crouch, Karl James and Andy Smith, the play also features music by Peter Gill.
More guest artists have been announced today who will each take to the Young Vic stage on a different date to perform alongside Tim who returns to star in the production. Newly announced names include Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Richard II) Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter, Cabaret), Arthur Darvill (Broadchurch, Oklahoma!) pictured above, Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, The Motive and the Cue) pictured below, Julie Hesmondhalgh (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Punch) and Alex Lawther (The End of the F***ing World, Black Mirror).
They join the previously announced Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (Gangs of London, Slow Horses), Michelle Terry (Tribes, The Cafe), Luke Thompson (Bridgerton, A Little Life), Russell Tovey (Being Human, American Horror Story: NYC) and Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Present Laughter). Each guest artist will only be revealed to audiences live on the night, as they join Tim on stage. The final remaining artists are to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tim Crouch said, “Exactly twenty years ago a laboratory was created in a small room above a pub in South London where an experiment took place. Actors were invited to try out a new play I’d written called An Oak Tree – like trying out a new drug formulation. Each time a different actor who knew nothing about the play they were going to be in – a blind test each time. For some of the actors the drug was euphoric. For some it was heartbreaking. For some it was riotous. For some it was hard work.
But the experiment was never less than enthralling. Twenty years later and that experiment is still ongoing with 374 blind tests to date. 374 actors who have done the play with me. And the laboratory has moved on from London to New York to LA to Russia to South America to Australia to Asia. Each time an actor who doesn’t know the play. Each time the same conditions. Each time a different result.
Twenty years since that room above a pub and the laboratory is the Young Vic, a theatre that has consistently proved its devotion to the new; a theatre that has developed an audience that is open and enquiring and engaged. I’m thrilled to see what happens to the experiment there. I’m thrilled to meet actors in the moment of performance. Actors I’ve never met in a play they’ve never met. Meeting an audience for one time only.”
An Oak Tree opens at the Young Vic on 6 May 2025. The Young Vic’s 2025/26 Season, the inaugural programme under new Artistic Director Nadia Fall, will be announced later this Spring. Tickets are on sale now at youngvic.org.
Images above Arthur Darvill (c) Ruth Crafer
below Mark Gatiss (c) Eivind Hansen
