Man to Man - Tilda Swinton at the Royal Court

Tilda Swinton returns to the live stage for the first time in nearly four decades in Manfred Karge’s Man to Man, opening the Royal Court Theatre’s 70th anniversary season. In 1930s Germany, a woman puts on her dead husband’s trousers and never takes them off – assuming his identity to survive war, dictatorship, hunger and humiliation. Swinton last performed on stage in this same play at the Royal Court in 1988, and here reprises the role of Ella/Max more than 30 years on, reuniting with director Stephen Unwin, designer Bunny Christie and lighting designer Ben Ormerod. Translated from the German by Anthony Vivis and revised by Stephen Unwin (2026). A co-production with the Berliner Ensemble and Brian & Dayna Lee, ahead of transfers to Edinburgh, Berlin and New York. Performances in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. Press Night Friday 11 September 2026. Accessible performances include Chilled, BSL-interpreted, captioned and audio-described dates.