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London Tide

based on Charles Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend
adapted by Ben Power
songs by PJ Harvey and Ben Power

Two women in thin white dresses stand in a river, soaking wet, one is pushing her hair back from her face. A low-lying city skyline and bridge are behind them in the distance.

Booking and details

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It begins like this. With the dusk and the storm and the Thames…

A storm rages and, in the darkest part of the night, a body is pulled from the swirling Thames.

Across the city, two young women confront an uncertain future. In Limehouse, Lizzie Hexam struggles to break free of the river and its dark secrets. On the other side of town, Bella Wilfer mourns a lost marriage. The appearance of the mysterious John Rokesmith has the potential to change their lives for ever. Will they sink or swim?

This romantic and propulsive thriller is a hymn to the city and the river that runs through it. Directed by Ian Rickson (Translations) and adapted by Ben Power (The Lehman Trilogy), with original songs throughout, the genius of Dickens meets the fierce musical imagination of acclaimed singer-songwriter, PJ Harvey.

Performed 10 April — 22 June 2024 in the Lyttelton Theatre.

★★★★

‘Spine-tingling songs from PJ Harvey’
Time out 

 

★★★★

‘Flows smoothly beside, on and under the Thames’

LondonTheatre1

‘Strikingly staged’

Guardian 

7 Reviews

Suitability

Please note this production contains: smoke and haze, mild language. Depictions of death, suffocation and drowning

More advice and guidance

Supporters

This production is supported by the National Theatre’s Official Hotel Partner Edwardian Hotels, The Polonsky Foundation, Bill & Penny Bardel, Monica Gerard-Sharp & Ali Wambold, Lawton W Fitt & James I McLaren Foundation, Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, The London Community Foundation and The Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater.

 

Videos

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Gallery

Open Gallery Dialog: 12 images A young woman in a black dress sat on a table, looking to her left dramatically. Behind her in shadow, two other cast members hold chairs above their heads.
A young woman in a black dress sat on a table, looking to her left dramatically. Behind her in shadow, two other cast members hold chairs above their heads.
A young woman in a black dress sat on a table, looking to her left dramatically. Behind her in shadow, two other cast members hold chairs above their heads.
View 12 images
Two men in thick coats with smiles on their faces. The man on the left is sat on the floor and pointing forward. The man on the right is crouched down to put an arm around the first man's shoulders. A man wearing a while shirt and a black waistcoat, holding a cigar and leaning on a chair. He is smiling with a thoughtful expression. A group of men gathered around a table. On the table is a replica of a dead body with a sheet covering it. One of the men is reaching towards it with a grimace. Two men in black coats under a spotlight. The man on the left is in the middle of the light, looking to the right with a shocked expression. He is being held by the arm by the man on the right who is more in shadow. A young woman in a black dress at centre stage. Around her, four other cast members carry tables and chairs above their heads. A man wearing tattered brown clothes and a large coat, looking thoughtfully to his right. He is stood amongst tall wooden beams and leans against a short wooden beam with his left hand. A woman in a brown waistcoat and blue striped skirt, looking to her left with a disgusted expression. A man wearing a heavy black coat hands by his hands from the lighting rigging. Behind him, seven other cast members watch with cautious expressions. A man in a black shirt sat at a table, set against a bright white backdrop. He is writing in a large book. Two young women in light blue dresses facing each other. They are holding each other's hands with emotional expressions. An ensemble of actors, clustered in a group with hands on each other's shoulders. Their expressions are tense and mouths open.

Production images

Open Gallery Dialog: 24 images P J Harvey sits at a desk, with maps of London and the Thames behind her.
P J Harvey sits at a desk, with maps of London and the Thames behind her.
P J Harvey sits at a desk, with maps of London and the Thames behind her.
View 24 images
Nine members of cast in the rehearsal space, all in casual stances. They are looking the same way and listening. A young woman with brown hair in a bun, wearing a corset and a brown shoulder satchel. Behind her are five other cast members, watching her and singing. A young woman tying up her brown hair. She is wearing a corset and a brown shoulder satchel. Two men and a woman watching rehearsals thoughtfully and discussing. Behind them on the wall are some large printouts and diagrams. Two young women wearing corsets over casual clothes sat on each end of a long brown table. They are posed to mirror each other, with casual expressions. A young woman with blonde hair, wearing a corset and long skirt, stood in front of a table. Sat on the table to her left is a man with brown curly hair, wearing a black and white striped top. They are both listening attentively. A young woman with blonde hair wearing a corset over casual clothes. She is sat on a purple chair, with a script open on the empty chair to her right. A young woman with blonde hair, wearing a corset and a black skirt. She is gesturing with her right arm raised. Her expression is focused. A young woman with blonde hair, wearing a corset and a black skirt. She is reaching forward with a distressed expression. A man with brown hair and tortoiseshell glasses, holding a hardcover yellow book and a pencil. He is gesturing with the hand holding the pencil. A young person with short bleached hair, wearing a white shirt over a patterned long-sleeve top, sat in a wheelchair. They are gesturing with a hand close to their chest, and singing. A young man with short dark hair wearing a thin grey jumper. He is frowning, with his hands clasped in front of him. Behind him is an older man in a brown waistcoat, wringing his hands. A teenage girl with light brown hair, wearing a tie-dye black and white jumper. A man and a woman sat at the edge of the room, holding scripts in their laps. They are looking forward, watching rehearsals. A woman with her hair in two braids and a pencil tucked behind her ear. She is turning the page of her script while acting with an upset expression. A man in his 60s wearing a white hat and a black Adidas jacket. He is sat at a cluttered table, holding a pen to make notes, while watching rehearsals. Two men sat next to a drum-kit and a sampling pad, having a conversation. One of the men is making notes into a book. Two men in rehearsals. The man on the left is wearing black casual clothes and a black baseball cap on backwards. He has ropes tied to grey fabric draped over his shoulders and is holding a script. The man on the right is wearing a white t-shirt and is rubbing his hands together. A young man with dark hair and a short beard, wearing a green shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a red pencil tucked into the breast pocket. Behind him, other members of the cast are stood and sat at the edge of the room, watching. A man in a white t-shirt and a green baseball cap, holding his hands behind his back. He is leaning forward with a focused expression. Two women having a conversation. The woman on the left is wearing a blue jumper with her hands behind her back. The woman on the right is wearing a leopard print dress and her hands are clasped in front of her. A man with brown curly hair, tied back, crawling on the floor. He is wearing a brown jumper with colourful stripes on the front. Beside him other cast members are also crawling. Two men in rehearsals. The man on the left is in a brown shirt with his arms folded and a serious expression. The man on the right is wearing a blue shirt and glasses, holding a script in his left hand.

Rehearsal images

Cast

Beth Alsbury
Beth Alsbury photo portrait

Beth Alsbury

Lavinia Wilfer / Understudy Jenny Wren

Joe Armstrong
Joe Armstrong photo portrait

Joe Armstrong

Roger Riderhood

Hayley Chilvers
Hayley Chilvers photo portrait

Hayley Chilvers

Ensemble / Understudy Nancy

Crystal Condie
Crystal Condie photo portrait

Crystal Condie

Miss Potterson

Production team

Adaptation and lyrics

Ben Power

Ben Power

Music and lyrics

PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey

Director

Ian Rickson

Ian Rickson

Set and Costume Designer

Bunny Christie

Bunny Christie

Lighting Designer

Jack Knowles

Jack Knowles

Music Director

Ian Ross

Ian Ross

Vocal Arrangements

PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey

Vocal Arrangements

Ian Ross

Ian Ross

Co-Sound Designer

Tingying Dong

Tingying Dong

Co-Sound Designer

Christopher Shutt

Christopher Shutt

Movement Director

Anna Morrissey

Anna Morrissey

Video Designer

Hayley Egan

Hayley Egan

Fight Director

Terry King

Terry King

Casting Director

Bryony Jarvis-Taylor

Bryony Jarvis-Taylor

Voice and Dialect Coach

Simon Money

Simon Money

Associate Set Designer

Verity Sadler

Verity Sadler

Deputy Music Director

Jon Gingell

Jon Gingell

Staff Director

Yasmin Hafesji

Yasmin Hafesji

Musicians

Piano and Guitars

Ian Ross

Ian Ross

Drum Kit

Alex Lupo

Keyboards

Sarah Anderson

Two women in thin white dresses stand in a river, soaking wet, one is pushing her hair back from her face. A low-lying city skyline and bridge are behind them in the distance.

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London Tide

What’s on

What's on guide

Download a pdf of the latest guide (1.8MB)

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Photo by Spencer Murphy