Man and Boy National Theatre 2026 Playtext

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‘In finance, man makes his own miracles. ’

Jazz, Broadway and the Great Depression. In 1930s New York City, international financier Gregor Antonescu’s luck has finally run out. As news of a catastrophic business deal ripples across the world, he flees to the apartment of his estranged son Basil.

There, Gregor will need all of his ruthlessness and ingenuity to save his reputation and keep his empire from collapse. But will he risk using his only son as a pawn in one last power play?

A sharp and gripping tale of paternity and corruption, Terence Rattigan’s Man and Boy was first performed in London in 1963. This edition was published alongside a revival at the National Theatre, London, in 2026. It features the original version of Rattigan’s play, with an authoritative introduction by Rattigan scholar Dan Rebellato and an afterword by Anthony Lau, director of the revival.

Terence Rattigan is now regarded as one of the most significant twentieth-century British playwrights. His other plays include The Browning Version, The Deep Blue Sea, The Winslow Boy, After the Dance and Flare Path. Many of his plays have been adapted for the screen, and are frequently revived.