Matt Smith to Star as an Alien in West End Premiere of Matt Haig’s ‘The Humans,’ Adapted by ‘Adolescence’ Writer Jack Thorne

Matt Smith will take on the role of an alien inhabiting the body of a Cambridge academic in “The Humans,” a stage adaptation of Matt Haig’s novel written by “Adolescence” creator Jack Thorne. The production is set to receive its world premiere in London’s West End next year.

Jeremy Herrin, known for “Wolf Hall” and “People, Places and Things,” will direct the limited engagement at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Previews are scheduled to begin on Oct. 30, 2027, with opening night set for Nov. 16, 2027. The show will close on Jan. 28, 2028. The remaining cast members and creative team have yet to be announced.

Smith’s character goes unnamed throughout the story. He is an extraterrestrial dispatched to Earth to halt humanity’s advancement, which his kind views as a danger. Assuming the identity of Andrew Martin, a mathematics professor at Cambridge, he experiences both the worst and the best of human nature, and is ultimately transformed by what he witnesses.

Melting Pot and Second Half Productions are producing the play in association with Access Entertainment, the company founded by Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen, which owns the Haymarket.

“I love ‘The Humans,’ and the opportunity to bring Matt Haig’s beautiful book to the stage with Jeremy Herrin has been an absolute dream. At its core, it is a story about an alien discovering the complexity and beauty of existence, and I can’t imagine a more fitting alien than Matt Smith,” Thorne said.

Haig noted that “The Humans” may be the most personal of his novels, which has made him fiercely protective of it. “I am a huge admirer of Jack Thorne, and the moment I read his extraordinary script I knew this was being elevated into something truly special. Matt Smith is the perfect protagonist for this story; it’s almost as if he was designed for the part. I think audiences are in for some wonderful surprises,” he said.

Herrin praised Thorne for immediately grasping the story’s theatrical potential, adding that “in Matt Smith we have a remarkably skilled actor, full of courage and intensity, who will deliver an unforgettable performance.”

“I’m thrilled to be reuniting with Jeremy Herrin to bring Matt Haig’s ‘The Humans’ to the stage for the very first time, in Jack Thorne’s brilliant adaptation. It’s going to be a blast,” Smith said.

Haig’s other novels include “The Midnight Library,” which topped bestseller lists at both the Sunday Times and the New York Times, as well as “How to Stop Time.” His nonfiction work includes “Reasons to Stay Alive,” and his children’s book “A Boy Called Christmas” was adapted into a feature film. His writing has been translated into more than 50 languages. Thorne is perhaps best known for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

Herrin co-founded Second Half in 2020 alongside Alan Stacey and Rob O’Rahilly. He previously served as artistic director of Headlong and as deputy artistic director of the Royal Court. Melting Pot was established by Simon Friend in 2015, with credits including the stage adaptation of “Life of Pi” and the film “The Father,” which earned two Academy Awards.

Access Entertainment’s film investments include “Conclave” and “The Zone of Interest.” On stage, the company has backed Sarah Snook’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s “Game of Thrones: The Mad King.” That production is expected to transfer to London in 2027, the same year Smith, who stars in “House of the Dragon,” takes the Haymarket stage.

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