Chris Pine to lead Simon Stone's Ivanov at London's Bridge Theatre

Chris Pine will make his London stage debut next summer, leading a new production of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov at the Bridge Theatre. The film actor will play the title role in a version written and directed by Australian director Simon Stone, with previews beginning on 4 July 2026, opening night on 14 July and a run through 19 September.

The production is presented by London Theatre Company in collaboration with Wouter van Ransbeek. Stone, whose recent Bridge production of The Lady from the Sea is currently playing at the venue, has adapted and will stage Ivanov "after Anton Chekhov," reworking the 1887 play for contemporary audiences. Stone said Chekhov "is the master of finding the humour in our suffering and the crisis lurking underneath our joy" and described the playwright's characters as "gifts to complex, versatile actors."

Ivanov follows Nikolai Ivanov, a landowner whose debts, strained marriage and sense of purpose push him toward despair. The role is widely regarded as demanding; Stone called Ivanov "the most knotty of his male characters, a challenge and a gift." The creative team reunites several collaborators from Stone's earlier Bridge work, including set designer...