Max Porter's Lanny Is Now On Stage at Bristol Old Vic
Max Porter's novel Lanny is now running on stage at Bristol Old Vic, in a world premiere adaptation by the West Country playwright Bea Roberts. A world premiere is the first time a work is staged anywhere. The run began on 16 October.
The show is a folk horror, a genre that uses rural settings and old local customs to build unease. The story is set in a village near Bristol and follows a family who have recently moved there. Bristol Old Vic has described the production as its flagship show for its 260th year, the theatre's landmark anniversary.
Nancy Medina directed the production. She is also the artistic director of Bristol Old Vic, the person who leads the theatre's programme. Rebecca Jane Wood designed the set, Dom Coyote composed the music, and Christopher Harrisson created the projections, the images beamed onto the stage.
The cast includes Lucian Thomas, Richard Cant and Hanora Kamen. WhatsOnStage gives the running time as two and a half hours.
Bristol Old Vic first announced the adaptation in February, as part of its 2026 season, and named Lanny as its autumn flagship. The cast was confirmed in September. Roberts has written a number of plays, and her earlier work includes And Then Come The Nightjars.
For the theatre, a flagship is the main production of a season, the one it puts most of its effort and promotion behind. For audiences, the show is a chance to see a new stage version of a novel that has already won awards. Max Porter's book has been widely read, so the adaptation brings a familiar story to people who may never have opened it.
Bristol Old Vic is a theatre with a long history in the city, and the staging keeps its work in front of local audiences during the autumn. Further dates, ticket prices and the closing date are listed on the theatre's website.
