A brand-new production of Breaking the Code, the powerful play about Alan Turing’s extraordinary life and tragic downfall, is coming to the Oxford Playhouse this October.
This modern staging of Hugh Whitemore’s acclaimed play explores the life of one of Britain’s most brilliant minds, a man who changed the world through mathematics and wartime heroism, only to be condemned for his sexuality.
A Powerful Revival with New Material
Based on the biography Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges, this revival features a newly commissioned epilogue by Neil Bartlett. It reflects on Turing’s posthumous Royal pardon in 2013 and the lasting legacy of Turing’s Law, which has since pardoned thousands of others convicted under historical anti-LGBT laws.
A Stellar Cast of British Talent
The role of Alan Turing will be portrayed by Mark Edel-Hunt, known for his performance in Leopoldstadt in the West End. The full cast includes:
- Niall Costigan as Mick Ross (The Railway Children, Hull Truck Theatre)
- Joseph Edwards as Christopher Morcom & Sixth-Former (The Red Shoes, RSC)
- Peter Hamilton Dyer as Dillwyn Knox (The Promise, Chichester Festival Theatre)
- Carla Harrison-Hodge as Pat Green (Cyrano de Bergerac, Jamie Lloyd Company)
- Susie Trayling as Sara Turing/Smith (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, West End)
- Joe Usher as Ron Miller & Nikos (Falkland Sound, RSC)
What Is Breaking the Code About?
Originally written in the 1980s, Hugh Whitemore’s Breaking the Code draws attention to Alan Turing’s pivotal role in defeating the Nazis by breaking the Enigma code at Bletchley Park during WWII. The play also candidly explores the persecution Turing faced due to his homosexuality, a criminal offence in 1950s Britain.
Performance Dates & Venue
- Dates: Tuesday, 7th October, to Saturday, 11th October 2025
- Venue: Oxford Playhouse, Beaumont Street, Oxford
Ticket Information
Tickets start from £14, with concessions available. For more details or to book:
📞 Call the Box Office: 01865 305305
🌐 Visit: oxfordplayhouse.com
Why Alan Turing’s Story Still Matters
Alan Turing was not only a codebreaker, he was also a visionary in computer science, a mathematical genius, and a man of deep personal complexity. This production sheds light on the injustice he endured and invites audiences to reflect on themes of freedom, identity, intelligence, and compassion.
Final Thoughts
Breaking the Code is more than a biographical drama, it’s a timely reminder of how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go. With an outstanding cast and a renewed script, this play offers Oxford audiences a moving, intelligent, and socially resonant night at the theatre.
Breaking the Code UK Tour 2025
| Dates | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11th – 27th September | Royal & Derngate | Northampton |
| 30th September – 4th October | Queen’s Theatre | Barnstaple |
| 7th – 11th October | Oxford Playhouse | Oxford |
| 21st – 25th October | Everyman & Playhouse | Liverpool |
