Francesca Moody Productions (FMP) has announced the initial casting for An Oak Tree, Tim Crouch’s landmark theatrical work, which will run at The Other Palace in London from 7 October to 15 November 2026, with a press night on 7 October.

The production, which has become one of the most celebrated and widely performed plays of the 21st century, features a unique premise: Crouch performs alongside a different guest actor at every single performance — an actor who has never read or rehearsed the play before stepping on stage. Each night therefore becomes a genuinely unrepeatable event.

The Guest Cast

The announced performers, each appearing on a specific date, represent some of the most recognisable names in British stage and screen. Rosalie Craig, known for Riot Women on BBC and Good Night, Oscar at the Barbican, takes the role on 9 October, followed by George Fouracres — of SNL UK and Hamlet at Shakespeare’s Globe — on 10 November. Clare Perkins, who appeared in Romeo & Juliet at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre, performs on 13 October, with Tom Mothersdale (A Doll’s House at the Almeida; Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light on BBC) appearing the following evening.

Gemma Whelan, best known for her role in Game of Thrones on HBO and The Tower on ITV, appears on 15 October, while Bessie Carter — seen in Netflix’s Bridgerton and the Garrick Theatre’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession — takes the stage on 16 October. Sacha Dhawan, who has starred in Doctor Who on BBC and The Great on Hulu, performs on 23 October. Hammed Animashaun, appearing in SNL UK on Sky and previously in Dealer’s Choice at the Donmar Warehouse, rounds out the initial announced casting on 29 October.

Further casting for additional performance dates is expected to be revealed in due course.

A Play That Reshaped Contemporary Theatre

Since its world premiere in 2005, An Oak Tree has been performed hundreds of times across more than 19 countries, continually reinventing itself with each new guest performer. Over two decades, more than 350 performers have accepted the extraordinary challenge of appearing in the play unrehearsed, creating a live experience that is as much about spontaneity and human connection as it is about the text itself.

The play’s remarkable alumni include Frances McDormand, Geoffrey Rush, Peter Dinklage, Mike Myers, David Tennant, Jessie Buckley, Russell Tovey, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alanis Morissette, Christopher Eccleston, Mark Gatiss, Sophie Okonedo, Julie Hesmondhalgh and many others. At its heart, the piece is an exploration of grief, suggestion and the irreducibly live nature of theatrical performance — themes that resonate differently depending on who stands opposite Crouch on any given night.

The production is directed by Tim Crouch alongside Karl James and Andy Smith, with music by Pete Gill and piano by Simon Crane. Casting is by Naomi Downham.

Part of a Broader FMP Season

The revival forms part of a wider season that Francesca Moody Productions is staging at The Other Palace between 5 October 2026 and 10 January 2027. The season brings together three productions that each began life at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before gaining international recognition.

Joining An Oak Tree in the season is Garry Starr: Classic Penguins, running from 22 October 2026 to 3 January 2027. Created by Damien Warren-Smith and directed by Cal McCrystal, the show sees the anarchic comic character Garry Starr attempt to perform every Penguin Classic novel ever written — mostly naked, but with flippers. The production has already enjoyed sold-out runs across the UK and Australia, and is set to make its Off-Broadway debut at Studio Seaview (3 September – 4 October) before arriving in London.

The third production in the season is Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen, which runs from 19 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, with a press night on 26 November. Written by Marcelo Dos Santos, directed by Matthew Xia and starring Steven Webb, the darkly comic solo show premiered at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022 and has since toured to Australia and completed a US run at Studio Theatre in Washington DC. Multiple award wins and critical acclaim have followed the production across its international journey.

Francesca Moody is one of Britain’s most influential theatre producers, credited with originating two of the most globally successful shows of recent years: Fleabag and Baby Reindeer. Both began as Edinburgh Fringe productions before becoming international phenomena — a trajectory the FMP season at The Other Palace is designed to echo and celebrate.

Tickets for An Oak Tree and the wider FMP season are on sale now from £20 at theotherpalace.co.uk.