Electra/Persona Tickets at the National Theatre
Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss in Benedict Andrews' new play after Sophocles and Ingmar Bergman, at the Lyttelton until Saturday 10 October 2026. The two stars swap roles every night on the toss of a coin by someone in the audience, so nobody can tell you in advance which of them plays Electra on your night. This page covers what the play is, the strict latecomer rule, where to sit, and what the critics made of it.
From £143About 2 hours, no interval
At the Lyttelton Theatre, near WaterlooOn 9 October 2026
Real people on the phone
020 7193 9050 · Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 8pm
Help choosing your seat
Who's Electra/Persona For?
- Anyone who has wanted to see Cate Blanchett on stage, in a role she swaps nightly with Nina Hoss.
- Fans of the two of them together after the film Tár.
- People who like a big idea in the theatre: a Greek tragedy and a Bergman film run together as one evening.
- Not for you if you want a straightforward story told from start to finish, or if you're likely to be running late.
What Tickets Cost
Tickets run from around £30 up to around £120, and prices move with demand, so the busiest nights cost more. Ring us with your date and we'll tell you what's left at each price.
About Electra/Persona at the Lyttelton
Benedict Andrews, who directed A Streetcar Named Desire, wrote this new play and directs it. It's built from two older works. The first part is Sophocles' Electra. The second is Bergman's 1966 film Persona, turned into theatre.
The coin toss
Blanchett and Hoss are both billed for the same pair of roles. One plays Electra and then Elisabeth, the actress. The other plays Clytemnestra, Electra's mother, and then Alma, the nurse. A coin tossed by an audience member at the start decides who does which. You'll see one version, and you can't pick it.
If you're late
Latecomers aren't let in until 50 minutes into the performance, and after that there's no way in at all. With no interval, that's close to half the play gone. The National asks everyone to arrive 30 minutes before the start.
What's Electra/Persona About?
Electra waits in the ruins of her family for her brother to come home and avenge their father, Agamemnon, murdered by her mother Clytemnestra and Clytemnestra's lover, Aegisthus. Her sister Chrysothemis wants her to keep her head down, and Electra refuses.
Then the play turns. An actress playing Electra goes silent on stage and won't speak again. She's sent away to recover with a nurse, Alma, who talks and talks to fill the silence, and the line between the two women starts to give way.
Performance Schedule
There are evening and matinee performances. Start times vary, so check the one on your ticket before you set off. Arrive late and you wait 50 minutes to be let in, with no entry at all after that. One evening still to come starts early, at 6:30pm: Tuesday 6 October.
The last performance is Saturday 10 October 2026. The running time is about two hours, played straight through.
Best Seats for Electra/Persona
The set is a steep staircase and the stars enter through the auditorium, with live camera close-ups projected during the show, so you want to see the full height of the stage.
In the Stalls, rows G and H in the middle are the pick, then F, J and K. In the Circle, the front three rows in the middle see the whole staircase. See our Lyttelton Theatre guide for the full picture, or call us and we'll match a seat to your budget.
Cast and Creative Team
| Role | Performer |
|---|---|
| Electra / Elisabeth or Clytemnestra / Alma | Cate Blanchett |
| Electra / Elisabeth or Clytemnestra / Alma | Nina Hoss |
| Chrysothemis / Anna | Ella Lily Hyland |
| Aegisthus / Husband | Patrick Robinson |
Written and directed by Benedict Andrews, with music by Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Book Your Electra/Persona Tickets
We sell with all-in pricing, so the price you see is the price you pay. Book tickets or call us on 020 7193 9050.
Dates & tickets
FAQs
Either Electra, then Elisabeth, or Clytemnestra, then Alma. A coin toss at the start of each performance decides, so it can't be booked in advance.
No. Nobody knows until the coin is tossed.
About two hours, with no interval.
No. It runs straight through, so use the bar and the loos before you go in.
You won't be let in until 50 minutes into the performance, and not at all after that. Aim to arrive 30 minutes before.
No. The play tells you what you need, though knowing either will add to it.
The National hasn't set an age guidance for this production. It contains sexual content, violence and murder, and references to suicide, stillbirth and abortion, so we'd treat it as one for adults and older teenagers. Under-4s aren't admitted to any of the National's theatres.
Saturday 10 October 2026. There's no extension announced.
Inside the National Theatre on the South Bank, five to seven minutes' walk from Waterloo.
Somewhere central that shows you the full height of the staircase. Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll find the best seat at your price.
Where to Sit for Electra/Persona
The Lyttelton has two levels, the Stalls and the Circle, and no pillars on either.
In the Stalls, rows G and H in the centre are the best seats for this production, followed by F, J and K. Row E sits barely higher than D, so skip it if you can. The front rows are the closest you can get to the staircase, but you'll be looking up.
The front of the Circle, rows A to C in the middle, gives the clearest view of the whole set. At the same price, we'd take it over the back of the Stalls.
For the full layout, see the Lyttelton seating plan. Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll tell you what your budget buys on your date.
Seating plan
Dates & tickets
Booking now
Getting to the Lyttelton
The Lyttelton is one of three theatres inside the National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX. Waterloo is the nearest tube, five to seven minutes' walk. Buses 1, 59, 68, 76, 139, 172, 176, 188, 243, 341 and SL6 stop on Waterloo Bridge, two minutes from the door. Full directions are in our guide to getting to the National.
Arrive 30 minutes before, no later. With no entry for the first 50 minutes, a delay on the tube costs you half the play.
Access performances: captioned on Wednesday 30 September, BSL on Thursday 1 October, relaxed on Wednesday 7 October, and audio described on Thursday 8 October with a touch tour beforehand, all at 7pm. Access bookings are handled by the National's own team, not by us. Our access guide to the Lyttelton has the detail.
Address
National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX
Nearest Tube
Waterloo
Electra/Persona Cast
Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss alternate between the two lead pairs of roles. Blanchett's stage credits include The Seagull, and Hoss's The Cherry Orchard. They played a couple in the film Tár.
Ella Lily Hyland, from Black Doves, plays Chrysothemis and Anna. Patrick Robinson plays Aegisthus and the Husband.
Understudies: Natalie Thomas (Electra / Elisabeth), Celia Nelson (Clytemnestra / Alma), Frankie Lipman (Chrysothemis / Anna) and Peter Eastland (Aegisthus / Husband).
Creative Team
Writer and director Benedict Andrews. Set by Magda Willi, costumes by Merle Hensel, music by Hildur Guðnadóttir, lighting by Jon Clark, sound by Brendan Aanes and video by Ash J Woodward. Casting by Alastair Coomer.
Electra/Persona Reviews
The critics agreed on the stars. Blanchett and Hoss are the reason to go, and the praise for both was wide. Where they split was on the play itself: some thought the join between Sophocles and Bergman worked, and others found one half stronger than the other.
Electra/Persona
Lyttelton Theatre
