Archduke description
Don't miss Archduke, part of the Royal Court Theatre's 70th anniversary season.
Archduke is dark, gripping, sharp as a knife and very funny. Sometimes it is almost accurate. This is a fictional take on the real-life plot to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand, told with a twist by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, born in December 1863 and killed in 1914, was the heir-in-waiting to the Austro-Hungarian throne. When he was assassinated in Sarajevo, the scandal tipped Europe into a five-year World War that killed and maimed millions.
The scene of the play is Belgrade, in 1914, where three starving, broke young men are offered food to carry out a crime that'll ignite the world. It's a bold, clever story exploring themes of destiny, revolution and the ridiculous catalysts that can change history. But do they really kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
This wild, thrilling journey told through the eyes of two reluctant radicals is directed by Lyndsey Turner (The Crucible, 1536) and designed by Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy). It's the perfect show to help celebrate the Royal Court's anniversary, one of a series of dazzling dramas at the venue through 2026.
Buy Archduke tickets to see a heartfelt powerhouse of a new play on stage at one of the capital's most iconic venues.
Playing at Royal Court Theatre
Age restrictions
Ages 14+.