Matt Smith Returns To The West End In The Humans
Published Wed, 11 November 2026
Matt Smith will return to the West End in The Humans, a new stage adaptation of Matt Haig’s novel, opening at Theatre Royal Haymarket on 30 October 2027. Adapted by Jack Thorne and directed by Jeremy Herrin, the world premiere will play a limited 13-week London season.
For audiences looking for London theatre shows in 2027, The Humans brings together a celebrated actor, a bestselling author and a distinctive story about discovering what makes life on Earth worth living.
What is The Humans about?
An alien arrives on Earth with a mission: stop a mathematical breakthrough that could allow humanity to advance too far. Taking over the body of Cambridge professor Andrew Martin, he sets out to complete his assignment while trying to make sense of the species around him.
Human behaviour initially seems baffling. Yet living among people begins to change his perspective. Beneath their contradictions and imperfections, he discovers affection, compassion and an unexpected capacity for beauty.
Combining science fiction, comedy and philosophical questions, The Humans explores everyday life through the eyes of an outsider who gradually finds himself drawn to the very people he was sent to thwart.
Matt Smith returns to the London stage
Known internationally for Doctor Who and House of the Dragon, Smith will lead the production as the extraterrestrial inhabiting Professor Martin’s body. The role reunites him with director Jeremy Herrin following their work together on An Enemy of the People.
His character’s journey places him at the centre of the story’s humour and emotional discoveries, as an apparently straightforward mission becomes a far more complicated encounter with humanity.
From Matt Haig’s novel to the West End
Jack Thorne’s adaptation brings Haig’s imaginative story to the stage for the first time. Haig has welcomed the script and Smith’s casting, while the creative team has highlighted the novel’s blend of entertainment, warmth and questions about human existence.
The Humans London tickets and performance dates
The Humans will begin performances at Theatre Royal Haymarket on 30 October 2027, running for 13 weeks. Further casting and the full creative team are still to be announced.
Planning your next West End theatre trip? Keep an eye on Theatre Tickets Direct for The Humans London ticket updates and the latest news about Matt Smith’s new stage production.