A brand new play from a playwright to reckon with, Unicorn premieres in the West End for 2025 for a strictly limited run, the perfect tonic to spice up the winter gloom. What happens when your lives, which are feeling a bit stale, become entangled with an enigmatic stranger? Come along and find out.

Written by Mike Bartlett, (Cock, Chariots of Fire, Medea, Scandaltown) and directed by James Macdonald, (True West, Night of the Iguana, Waiting for Godot) this funny, explicit and provocative play will grab you, hold onto you, intrigue you and amuse you.

Unicorn – the story
The play deep-dives into the complex web of modern relationships and the secrets that simmer under the surface. Meet Polly and Nick, a couple who seem to have it all: a great marriage, nice kids, good jobs. But the spark has gone and there’s something missing. When they meet the enigmatic Kate and their lives begin to intertwine, things get wobbly. Boundaries blur and new desires arise.

Unicorn cast and creatives
TV, film and stage actor Nicola Walker (The Corn Is Green, A View from the Bridge) stars, originating the role of Polly in this sharp-witted new play. She has played numerous TV roles including Unforgotten, The Split, Last Tango in Halifax, and Spooks. Her work on The Corn Is Green won her a 2023 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress, and A View from the Bridge at the Young Vic transferred to both the West End and New York. Her 2013 work on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time saw her win the Olivier for Best Supporting Actress.

The cast also includes actor, comedian and TV presenter Stephen Mangan (The Split, Episodes), and Erin Doherty (Death of England: Closing Time, The Crown, Chloe).

The design is by Miriam Buether, the lighting design by Natasha Chivers and the sound design by Ian Dickinson. The producers are Kate Horton Productions and Nica Burns, Norel Productions and Tilted, in association with Rupert Gavin and Mallory Factor.