Synopsis: 

‘I am not your punch bag! I am a Member of Parliament!’ 

An MP with an instinct for compassion. 

An ex-serviceman with a life in free fall. 

And a parliamentary protection officer who’s having none of it.  

This volatile new play stars BAFTA Award winner Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, Line of Duty) as a hard-working opposition backbencher whose ideals of public office are tested by the demands of a man in crisis, played by Tony, BAFTA and Emmy Award winner James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors, The History Boys).  

Directed by Olivier and Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus (A Christmas Carol, Matilda The Musical) and written by Olivier Award winner Joe Penhall (Blue/Orange,  Mood Music), The Constituent  deconstructs politics, panic alarms and the conflict between public service and personal safety.  

Artistic Statement: ‘In a theatre once mainly renowned for classic revivals, I’m excited to present The Old Vic’s 25th world premiere since my tenure began in 2015 – this urgently topical new play from Joe Penhall set in a local MP’s constituency office. In a landscape of increasing threat, what place is there for empathy? Is an open door policy now dependent on stab vests?’ - Matthew Warchus, Artistic Director of The Old Vic and director of The Constituent