Full casting has been announced for Cloud 9, Caryl Churchill’s landmark 1979 play, which lands on the National Theatre’s Lyttelton stage this November in a bold new production directed by Dominic Cooke.
Cloud 9 runs at the Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, from 2 November 2026 until 13 January 2027, with press night set for Tuesday 10 November 2026. Tickets are on sale now at nationaltheatre.org.uk.
THE CAST
Leading the company are Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts, BBC One) as Maud/Victoria and Sam Troughton (Chernobyl, HBO) as Clive/Cathy, alongside:
Rebecca Humphries (The Crown, Netflix) as Ellen/Mrs Saunders/Lin
Eloka Ivo (Black Superhero, Royal Court) as Joshua/Gerry
Tom Mothersdale (Bodies, Netflix) as Harry Bagley/Martin
Ellen Robertson (Vladimir, Netflix) as Edward/Betty
Stuart Thompson (Romans: A Novel, Almeida Theatre) as Betty/Edward
They’re joined by understudies Tom Brace-Jenkins (Betty/Edward), Izaak Cainer (Clive/Cathy), Dan Furlonger (Harry Bagley/Martin), Skye Hallam (Maud/Victoria and Ellen/Mrs Saunders/Lin), Meg Lewis (Edward/Betty) and Ola Teniola (Joshua/Gerry).
ABOUT THE SHOW
First performed in 1979, Cloud 9 is one of Caryl Churchill’s most daring and satirical plays, and it’s not hard to see why it’s become a classic of British theatre. The first act is set in Victorian colonial Africa, where Clive is a patriarchal administrator whose wife, son and servant are all struggling to live up to what’s expected of them. Then the same family turn up a hundred years later in 1970s London, working out what freedom actually means in a world where the legacy of empire still lingers.
CREATIVE TEAM
Joining Dominic Cooke on the creative team are set designer Miriam Buether, costume designer Samuel Wyer, lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound designer Donato Wharton, composer Andy Roberts, music director Josh Sneesby, casting director Naomi Downham, dialect coach Penny Dyer, voice coach Shereen Ibrahim, associate set designer Luke Smith and staff director Max Harrison.
WHERE IT’S PLAYING
Cloud 9 plays at the Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX, from 2 November 2026 to 13 January 2027.
Performances run Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, with matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
A handful of performances have an earlier 6.30pm start instead (Tuesday 24 November, Tuesday 1 December, Thursday 3 December and Thursday 10 December) so it’s worth double-checking your ticket before you set off.
ACCESS PERFORMANCES
- Captioned: Friday 11 December (7.30pm), Monday 21 December (7.30pm), Saturday 9 January (2.30pm)
- BSL Interpreted: Friday 4 December (7.30pm)
- Audio Described (with touch tours 90 minutes before): Saturday 28 November (2.30pm), Tuesday 12 January 2027 (7.30pm)
- Relaxed Performance: Monday 14 December (7.30pm)
HOW TO BOOK
Tickets for Cloud 9 are on sale now at nationaltheatre.org.uk.
You can book online, or by phone on 020 3989 5455 (9.30am–6pm Monday to Friday, 10am–6pm Saturdays).
Access concessions or extra support can call the Access line on 020 7452 3961.
