Exit the King Tickets

It's Exit The King. It's a play by the extraordinary Romanian-French playwright Eugene Ionesco, a prominent member of the infamous French Avant-garde theatre scene. And this is a fresh new version of the classic play, created with his usual verve and enthusiasm by Patrick Marber. What's not to like?

What's the story? The setting is somewhere in Europe, where a kingdom is falling apart. The ruler, King Bérenger, is 400 years old and today is the last day of his life as well as the last day of the universe. Queen Marguerite is preparing for the end. The younger queen, Marie, is in complete denial. And the King is determined not to die, hanging on for dear life. The result is an exceptional tragi-comedy you won't want to miss.

This is the first time the playwright's work has appeared on stage at The National, and the venue is offering hundreds of tickets at just £15. The cast comprises Sarah Campbell and Debra Gillett, Derek Griffiths and Rhys Ifans, Amy Morgan, Adrian Scarborough and Indira Varma.

Patrick Marber is probably best known for his work on Three Days in the Country and Hedda Gabler. He directs his brand new version of Exit the King. The cast is equally exciting, including Rhys Ifans of Notting Hill and A Christmas Carol fame, who plays the lead role. As you'd expect, he brings his remarkable talents into impressive play to portray a dying king who absolutely refuses to accept his own mortality.

Indira Varma, with credits including Game of Thrones and Man and Superman, plays the King's first Queen. And Amy Morgan, a fast-rising star in the theatre world, plays the younger second queen to perfection.

Eugène Ionesco was a darling of the avant-garde theatre movement, famous for harnessing banal and absurd situations to explore the insignificance of life. Not well known in Britain, this show is set to help give the playwright the recognition he deserves outside his native France, long after his death. If you adore nothing more than the very best quality theatre, you'll love this clever, eccentric play.

Who is this show for?
The play's absurdist nature means young children won't understand what's going on.