90 minutes. 70 years. 11 scenes. 5 Marys. 1 extraordinary life… and 6 things you need to know about Tracy Letts’ Mary Page Marlowe at The Old Vic.
Time to read 1 Minute
Author The Old Vic
Published 04/08/2025
Mary Page has lived many lives in one
‘I’m not the person I am,’ Mary Page Marlowe says. This is a play which considers the layers of who we are, who we appear to be, and who we once were. Mary Page Marlowe unfolds in fragments, with five actors embodying Mary at different ages across 11 non-chronological scenes. Its structure mimics the fragmented nature of memory and the complexity of a person’s sense of self, inviting the audience to piece together Mary’s life as we do our own — out of order, coloured by emotion and full of contradictions and gaps.
Her life is marked by ordinary and extraordinary struggles
The play finds profound meaning in the day-to-day. At its premiere at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre in 2016, critics praised Letts’ ‘beautiful and affecting’ (New York Times) portrayal of how small moments accumulate to create the complex tapestry of a complete life.
The play’s American writer Tracy Letts has a deep connection to London
This production will mark the first time Mary Page Marlowe will be staged in the UK; however, Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy Letts is no stranger to success in London. Letts credits his early experiences in the city as a playwright 30 years ago as ‘an integral part of my development as an artist’. His August: Osage County had a successful run at the National Theatre in 2008, cementing his connection to the London theatre world.
This production will be in-the-round
For his final Season as Artistic Director, Matthew Warchus is reconfiguring The Old Vic’s 200-year-old auditorium to create a completely immersive, 360-degree experience. Mary Page Marlowe will be the first production of this farewell Season.
Andrea Riseborough and Susan Sarandon will play two of the five Marys
Mary Page Marlowe marks Academy Award-winning actor Susan Sarandon’s UK theatre debut. Sarandon said: ‘I’m so honoured to be asked to be in a play during Matthew Warchus’ final Season at The Old Vic’. Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough’s last major stage work was over a decade ago; ‘I’m so very grateful to be working with Matthew again and thrilled to finally work at The Old Vic’. This production offers London audiences a rare opportunity to witness these two great artists live, heading up an exciting company of 16 actors.
The run of performances will be limited
Mary Page Marlowe is playing a strictly limited run from 23 Sep–01 Nov. This ingeniously powerful and thought-provoking play explores themes of choice, guilt, resilience, and the bonds which thread past and present together as we navigate life – don’t miss your chance to see it.
