The Dream of a Ridiculous Man

In this updated adaptation of Dostoevsky's tragic-comic adventure The Dream of a Ridiculous Man from Olivier award-winning director Laurence Boswell, a young man in 21st-century London nearly ends his life before dreaming of a better world, which inspires him to share his vision.

Mad – Foolish – Ridiculous – I’ve been called many things. On an uneventful Wednesday in a drab Borough of East London, an ordinary man has a startling revelation: life is an unhappy accident in a meaningless universe. He gets himself a gun. But before he can use it, he dreams of an innocent, alternative earth, where people live in harmony with nature and each other. Elated, he sets out to tell the world about his dream and share his new vision of a happy planet. Dostoevsky’s tragic-comic adventure The Dream of a Ridiculous Man is transported to 21st-century London in a one-person tale of wonder with an urgent warning for our world, adapted by Laurence Boswell. A funny and serious story of hope, that with love and trust we can build a better world. Maybe. This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at London’s Marylebone Theatre in March 2024.