Review Roundup: What Are the Critics Saying About Arcadia at the Duke of York’s Theatre?
Posted on
[*Arcadia*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/arcadia-tickets) has now opened at the [Duke of York’s Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/duke-of-yorks-theatre-london) ([soon to be the Tom Stoppard Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/duke-of-yorks-theatre-to-be-renamed-in-honour-of-tom-stoppard)) after transferring from the Old Vic. But what did the critics think about T**om Stoppard’**s masterpiece directed by Carrie Cracknell?
### **What is Arcadia about?**
Set in a country house that bridges centuries, the play weaves together two timelines. In 1809, a teenage mathematical prodigy pushes the boundaries of knowledge, exploring nature, love, and the unpredictable forces that shape both the universe and human behaviour. In the present day, a group of academics returns to the same house, attempting to reconstruct its past while searching for truth, certainty, and something more elusive…As past and present overlap, **Stoppard**’s clever, playful writing reveals how easily history is misread and how patterns in life may never fully resolve into clarity. The result is a rich exploration of intellect, desire and uncertainty across time.First performed to critical acclaim, *Arcadia* won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1993, alongside the Drama Desk Award and the Tony Award for Best Play, cementing its status as a modern classic.
### **What are the critics saying about Arcadia?**
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A magnificent monument to Tom Stoppard.” - Evening Standard
⭐⭐⭐⭐“Remains a unique and dazzling work.” - Time Out
⭐⭐⭐⭐“The production emerges as one of the many wonderful tributes that will no doubt guarantee Stoppard’s place as the greatest playwright of the last century." - WhatsOnStage
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Thought-provoking, funny and deeply moving.” - Theatre Weekly
⭐⭐⭐ “Funny, melancholy and thought-provoking.” - The Stage
### **And what did the critics say when it played at the Old Vic?**
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This wonderful meditation on love, death and mathematics dances through the mind and the heart.” - Evening Standard
⭐⭐⭐⭐“Animated by a strong cast, this sprawling, elegiac revival lets Tom Stoppard’s warm, erudite wit shine through.” – The Stage
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Glows with historical, intellectual and sexual intrigue.” - Financial Times
⭐⭐⭐⭐“Carrie Cracknell’s revival of the intellectually thrilling and romantically stirring Arcadia is a must-see.” - The Telegraph
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A truly marvellous play, full of wit, wisdom and a rare warmth.” - WhatsOnStage
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece gets a stellar, lust-filled revival.” - The Independent
### **How to book tickets to Arcadia**
Tickets for [*Arcadia*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/arcadia-tickets) are available now. Secure your seats this summer before the show ends on Saturday 12 September 2026.