WORLD PREMIERE OF MIKE BARTLETT’S
UNICORN
DIRECTED BY JAMES MACDONALD
OPENING AT THE GARRICK THEATRE
FROM 4 FEBRUARY TO 26 APRIL 2025
Kate Horton and Nica Burns today announce the world premiere of Mike Bartlett’s new play Unicorn, directed by James Macdonald, starring Nicola Walker (Polly), Stephen Mangan (Nick), and Erin Doherty (Kate). Unicorn will debut at the Garrick Theatre in the West End from 4 February for strictly limited run until 26 April 2025.
There will be 10,000 tickets for under £30 available across the run. Tickets are on sale now at: www.nimaxtheatres.com and www.unicorntheplay.co.uk.
“Nick: Have you two kissed already?
Polly: No
Kate: Yes”
Polly and Nick have it all. Happily married, two children, successful careers. And yet there’s something missing…something rare and unforeseen…waiting to add a much-needed sparkle…
Unicorn is Mike Bartlett’s explicit, funny and provocative new play, starring Nicola Walker (Unforgotten, The Split), Stephen Mangan (The Split, Episodes) and Erin Doherty (The Crown, Chloe).
Nicola Walker said, “Mike Bartlett’s Unicorn is that rare beast you long to see, it’s grown-up and unusual and very, very funny.”
Stephen Mangan said, “I would have needed my head examined if I’d passed up the opportunity to be involved in this play by the brilliant Mike Bartlett. It’s hilarious, provocative, intelligent and deeply moving. And it’s being directed by the peerless James Macdonald. And Erin Doherty is in it. As is my old friend and TV ex-wife Nicola Walker. It’s just an embarrassment of riches.”
Erin Doherty said,“To get to work with Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan is a massive moment for me. Combine that with this genius team and this brilliant play, I’m ecstatic. I can’t wait to get in the rehearsal room.”
Mike Bartlett said, “Kate Horton has championed Unicorn from the moment she read it, and I’m thrilled it will be the first play her new company produces. I’m so happy to get the chance to get to work with James Macdonald and Miriam Buether again, and with the incredible Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan and Erin Doherty – all superb actors I’ve been a fan of for a long time.”
James Macdonald said, “I’m delighted to be embarking on my third play with Mike, after the joys of Cock and Wild! And to be doing so in the company of a peerless trio of actors – not to mention the most brilliant design team…”
Kate Horton said, “It’s a rare day when a play as exceptional as Mike Bartlett’s Unicorn arrives and I’m overjoyed to be reuniting with Mike and the equally magnificent James Macdonald to deliver its world premiere. Our extraordinary cast, Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan and Erin Doherty will each bring their own unique brilliance to originating Polly, Nick and Kate. It feels completely right to launch my new company with a new play and I am thrilled that such a fantastic combination of talents have come together to bring it to life for audiences. I’m especially grateful to my co-producers who have assembled for this production so enthusiastically – Keren Misgav for Norel Productions, Tilted, Rupert Gavin and Mallory Factor – and especially Nica Burns, who has always been a great champion of the new, of the theatre industry and of me.”
Nica Burns said, “When Kate Horton sent me Mike Bartlett’s new play, I read it overnight, loved it and offered her the Garrick immediately. I knew that such a good play would attract a top line director and cast – and it has. We are blessed with three remarkable leading actors in Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan and Erin Doherty who will be brilliantly guided by their talented director, James Macdonald. I have long admired Kate’s work as a producer and I am delighted to be co-producing with her under her banner, Kate Horton Productions.”
Unicorn sees James Macdonald, Mike Bartlett and Kate Horton reuniting following their collaboration on the original production of Cock at Royal Court in 2009.
Joining director James Macdonald is designer Miriam Buether, lighting designer Natasha Chivers and sound designer Ian Dickinson.
Unicorn is produced by Kate Horton Productions and Nica Burns, Norel Productions and Tilted, in association with Rupert Gavin and Mallory Factor.
Nicola Walker, originates the role of Polly.
Theatre includes: The Corn Is Green (National Theatre), The Cane (Royal Court), A View From The Bridge (Young Vic, Wyndham’s & Lyceum Theatre New York), The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time (Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress), Season’s Greetings, Gethsemane, Tales From The Vienna Woods and Edmond (all National Theatre), Di And Viv And Rose(Hampstead Theatre), Mrs KleinandCloud Nine(both Almeida), Relocated, Fresh Kills, Sweetheart, The Libertine/The Man Of Mode, Hated Nightfall (all Royal Court), Modern Dance For Beginners (Soho Theatre), The Dead Eye Boy (Hampstead), Sexual Perversity In Chicago (Sheffield Crucible), A Lie Of The Mind(Donmar),Passion Play(Donmar & Comedy) andFifty Revolutions(Whitehall).Television includes:Mary & George, Annika, Marriage, Unforgotten: Series I-Iv, The Split: Series I – Iii, Collateral, Inside No. 9, River, Last Tango In Halifax: Series I-V (two BAFTA Best Supporting Actress nominations), Babylon, Scott And Bailey, Prisoner’s Wives, Heading Out, Inside Men, Spooks Series II-V & VIII-X, Being Human, Law & Order, Luther, Turn Of The Screw, Oliver Twist, Torn, Broken News, People Like Us, The Last Train, Touching Evil Series I-Iii, Chalk, A Dance To The Music Of Time, Milner, Faith and Moll Flanders. Film: Shooting Dogs, Shiner, Four Weddings And A Funeral. Nicola will appear in The Split: Barcelona which will be screened later this year.
Stephen Mangan, originates the role of Nick.
Stephen’s extensive theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Playhouse), Hay Fever(Savoy), The School for Scandal(RSC), Noises Off(Piccadilly), Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense(Duke of Yorks), The Norman Conquests(Old Vic and Broadway, TONY nominated), Rules for Living(National Theatre), Birthdayand The People are Friendly(both Royal Court), The Birthday Party (Harold Pinter), The Man in the White Suit (Wyndham’s), A Christmas Carol(Old Vic) and most recently Private Lives(Donmar Warehouse). He made his breakthrough television performance as ‘Adrian Mole’ in the BBC series Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years. This was closely followed by his appearance in Channel 4’s Sword of Honour alongside Daniel Craig and as Dan Moody in I’m Alan Partridge. He is arguably best known for his role as ‘Guy Secretan’ in the BAFTA-winning British sitcom Green Wing. He starred as ‘Keith’ in sitcom Never Better, in romantic dark comedyFree Agents with Sharon Horganand as the title role in Dirk Gently for the BBC. Stephen’s feature role as Sean Lincoln in the much-loved British/American TV comedy Episodescame to an end in 2017 with the fifth and final series. Most recently, Stephen reprised his role as Nathan Stern in Bafta-winning writer Abi Morgan’s The Split for BBC One, with new episodes being broadcast later this year. He is also familiar to Sky Arts presenting the hugely successful series Portrait Artist of the Yearand Landscape Artist of the Year. Both shows set records for the biggest audiences recorded for Sky Arts. Stephen played Arthur Conan Doyle in FOX’s miniseries Houdini and Doyle opposite Michael Weston and in 2018 starred in Hang Ups, a series he also co-wrote and produced for Channel 4. The cast included David Tennant, Jessica Hynes and Charles Dance. He has also starred in the SKY One comedy Bliss written and directed by David Cross. Most notably on the big screen, Stephen played ‘Alastair Caldwell’ in Rush, alongside Chris Hemsworth as Hunt. Further film credits include Breathe, Billy Elliot, Festival, Birthday Girl, A Gaza Weekend and Postman Pat, voicing the titular role. He will publish his seventh children’s novel next year.
Erin Doherty, originates the role of Kate.
Erin is one of the most talented and respected actors of her generation, playing leading roles across film, television and theatre. Erin is best known for her break out performance as Princess Anne in Netflix’s The Crown. Erin was a 2018 Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a 2018 Evening Standard Rising Star. In 2020, Erin was honoured at the Newport Beach Film Festival as a ‘Breakout Honouree’ following her role of Princess Anne. Doherty most recently played the lead in upcoming Disney Plus series A Thousand Blows. Earlier this year Erin starred in Death of England: Closing Time in the West End @sohoplace. In 2022 Erin appeared at the National Theatre leading the cast of The Crucible as Abigail Williams. Erin played the lead in BBC One/Amazon Prime thriller series Chloe, which garnered five star reviews and critical acclaim for Erin. Erin will next be seen in new feature film Firebrand, opposite Jude Law, and in feature film Reawakening opposite Juliet Stevenson, both of which will have a theatrical release this year. Erin attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, playing a range of leading roles during her three years of training. During this time, Doherty was selected to take part in the professional production of Pink Mist at the Bristol Old Vic, and was the winner of The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year 2015. Her debut performance upon graduation in 2015 was as Laura in Ellen McDougall’s The Glass Menagerie, after which Doherty was cast as Tamsin in Katherine Soper’s debut play Wish List (2016) at Manchester’s Royal Exchange and London’s Royal Court Theatre. Her performance was recognised by the Manchester Theatre Awards, naming Doherty as Best Actress in a Studio Production 2017. In 2017, she appeared as Fiz in BAFTA Award-winning writer Jack Thorne’s Junkyard, which earned her rave reviews: “Doherty is the star here, and by rights will soon be a star full-stop” WhatsOnStage. Later that same year, she took on the leading role in Ayckbourn’s The Divide at the Edinburgh International Festival, remounting it early in 2018 at London’s Old Vic Theatre. The Telegraph noted her “luminous central performance”. Also in 2017, Doherty received high critical acclaim in The Young Vic’s production of the one woman show My Name Is Rachel Corrie. The Guardian applauded her stunning performance, marking her out as “one of the year’s great discoveries”. Doherty closed 2017 with a run at London’s Old Vic Theatre, playing the leading role of Belle opposite Rhy Ifans’ Scrooge in Matthew Warchus’ production of A Christmas Carol. In 2019 Doherty was once again on stage in Wolfie at Theatre 503. Doherty’s inaugural television role was as a guest star in the BBC’s Call The Midwife in 2016, followed by the BBC adaptation of Les Miserables in 2018 before landing the role of Princess Anne in Netflix’s world-wide hit series The Crown.
Mike Bartlett
A multi-award-winning writer for both stage and screen.
Theatre includes: Scandaltown (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre); The 47th (The Old Vic); Cock (The Ambassadors’ Theatre/Royal Court); Mrs Delgado (Arts at the Old Fire Station/Theatre Royal Bath/Oxford Playhouse); Albion, Game (Almeida); Snowflake (Arts at the Old Fire Station); Wild (Hampstead Theatre); King Charles III (Almeida Theatre/Wyndham’s Theatre/Music Box Theatre, New York) which won an Olivier Award for Best New Play; An Intervention (Paines Plough/Watford); Bull (Sheffield Theatres/Off Broadway/Young Vic); Medea (Headlong/Glasgow Citizens/Watford/Warwick); Chariots of Fire (Hampstead Theatre/Gielgud Theatre); 13 (National Theatre); Decade (Headlong); Earthquakes in London (Headlong, National Theatre); Love, Love, Love (Paines Plough / Plymouth Theatre Royal/Royal Court/Roundabout Theatre Company, New York/Lyric Hammersmith Theatre);Contractions (Royal Court/Crucible Theatre, Sheffield); My Child (Royal Court); Artefacts (Bush Theatre/ Nabokov). Mike has previously been Writer In Residence at the National Theatre and is currently an Associate Playwright at the Royal Court Theatre. Television includes: Life, Doctor Foster SE2, King Charles III, Doctor Foster SE1 (Drama Republic/BBC); Sticks and Stones, Trauma (Tall Story Pictures/ITV); Press (Lookout Point/BBC).
James Macdonald
He was Associate Director at the Royal Court from 1992 to 2006. Productions there have included: What If If Only, Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp, One for Sorrow, Escaped Alone, The Children, The Wolf from the Door, Circle Mirror Transformation, Love and Information, Cock, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You, Dying City, Fewer Emergencies, Lucky Dog, Blood, Blasted, 4.48 Psychosis, Hard Fruit, Real Classy Affair, Cleansed, Bailegangaire, Harry and Me, Simpatico, Blasted, Peaches, Thyestes, Hammett’s Apprentice, The Terrible Voice of Satan and Putting Two and Two Together. His work at the National includes: Infinite Life, The Welkin, John, Dido Queen of Carthage, The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other and Exiles. Theatre work in New York includes: True West, The Children and Top Girls on Broadway; Escaped Alone and John Gabriel Borkman at BAM; Infinite Life and Cloud Nine at Atlantic Theater; Cock at The Duke; Love and Information and A Number for New York Theatre Workshop; King Lear, The Book of Grace and Drunk Enough to Say I Love You at the Public Theater; Dying City for the Lincoln Center Theater; and 4.48 Psychosis at St Anne’s Warehouse. In the West End: Waiting for Godot, Night of the Iguana, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Father, Glengarry Glen Ross and The Changing Room. And elsewhere: Boys on the Verge of Tears at Soho Theatre, The Cherry Orchard for Yard Theatre/ETT, Dolls House Part Two, The Way of the World and Roots for the Donmar; Bakkhai, A Delicate Balance, Judgment Day and The Triumph of Love at the Almeida; The Chinese Room for Williamstown Theater Festival; Wild, And No More Shall We Part and #aiww – The Arrest of Ai Weiwei at Hampstead; The Father at Bath and the Tricycle; John Gabriel Borkman at the Abbey, Dublin; The Tempest and Roberto Zucco for the RSC; Troilus und Cressida and Die Kopien at Schaubühne, Berlin; 4.48 Psychose at Burgtheater, Vienna; Love’s Labour’s Lost and Richard II at the Royal Exchange. Opera includes A Ring A Lamp A Thing at Linbury Studio; Eugene Onegin and Rigoletto at Welsh National Opera; Die Zauberflöte at Garsington; Wolf Club Village and Night Banquet at the Almeida; Lives of the Great Poisoners for Second Stride. Film includes A Number for HBO/BBC.