Man to Man

In 1930s Germany, a woman puts on her dead husband’s trousers and never takes them off.

As the world around her changes, she endures war and dictatorship, hunger and humiliation – always fighting to stay alive.  

More than 30 years after she first brought the role to life, Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin, Orlando) makes a long-awaited return to stage as Ella/Max in Manfred Karge’s Man to Man - the role she originated in the acclaimed 1988 UK premiere at the Traverse Theatre and Royal Court. 

This landmark revival reunites the multi-award-winning creative team, including director Stephen Unwin (The Conquest of the South Pole) and designer Bunny Christie (People, Places and Things) ahead of transferring to the Berliner Ensemble and a run in New York City in Spring 2027.

BSL Interpreted:

• Wednesday 7th October 7:30pm
  

Captioned:

• Friday 9th October 7:30pm
  

Audio-Described:

• Saturday 10th October 1:30pm
  

Chilled:

• Saturday 3rd October 1:30pm
  

Age Restrictions

Performance Times

Now taking bookings for performances from Thu 17th September 2026 until Sat 24th October 2026.

Show times for each day are below.

Royal Court Theatre Details

Facilities at Royal Court Theatre

Royal Court Theatre Location

Please note: The location shown on the map is an approximate location of the theatre. In the majority of cases the theatre will be marked on the map so please make sure you locate the exact location yourself. If the theatre is not shown on the map please make sure you locate the correct road name and take account of the directions.