Cyrano Review: Adrian Lester Delivers a Magnificent Performance at the Noël Coward Theatre

There are West End transfers that arrive with a gentle murmur of expectation. Then there are those that swagger into town trailing five-star reviews and sold-out performances behind them like a cape. Martin Crimp's adaptation of Cyrano, which has now taken up residence at the Noël Coward Theatre, belongs firmly in the latter category. Following its triumphant run at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, this production brings Edmond Rostand's beloved 1897 tale of unrequited love, swashbuckling wit and poetic genius roaring into London with a freshness that makes you forget the story is well over a century old.

A Classic Reimagined With Wit and Linguistic Flair

For those unfamiliar with the source material, the story centres on Cyrano de Bergerac, a brilliantly gifted swordsman and poet whose outsized talent is matched only by his outsized nose. Cyrano is hopelessly in love with the beautiful and intellectually formidable Roxane, yet his crippling insecurity about his appearance prevents him from ever confessing his feelings. Instead, he channels his eloquence through Christian, a handsome but tongue-tied young soldier, crafting love letters and moonlit speeches on his behalf. It is a story about the gap between what we feel and what we dare to say, and Crimp's adaptation leans into that tension with relish.

What makes this version so thrilling is the sheer delight it takes in language. Crimp, known for his razor-edged contemporary writing, finds the perfect balance between honouring Rostand's ornate verse and injecting the text with a modern, muscular energy. The wordplay crackles, the verbal duels land with percussive force, and the quieter moments of poetic longing are genuinely moving. This is a production that treats words as weapons, as seductions, and ultimately as the thing that both connects and separates us from one another.

Adrian Lester Is Simply Phenomenal

Any production of Cyrano lives or dies on its leading performance, and Adrian Lester is nothing short of extraordinary in the title role. Reprising the part he originated in Stratford, Lester commands the stage with a magnetic charisma that makes it almost impossible to look away. His Cyrano is boastful and bravura one moment, rough-edged and disarmingly charming the next, before revealing a deeply protected tenderness that catches you off guard. It is a performance of remarkable range: the comic timing is exemplary, the physicality is precise, and the emotional depth is devastating.

Lester handles Crimp's dense, layered text with apparent effortlessness, whether he is tossing off improvised acrostics mid-duel or whispering declarations of love from the shadows. He makes you laugh, he makes you lean forward, and by the final scenes he makes you ache. It is a masterclass, and one of the finest leading performances currently on a West End stage.

Susannah Fielding Shines as Roxane

Opposite Lester, Susannah Fielding delivers a radiant Roxane, bringing warmth, intelligence and a quiet vulnerability to a role that can too easily become a passive prize to be won. Fielding's Roxane is sharp, funny and deeply feeling, a woman who values the life of the mind above all else and who is ultimately undone by the very eloquence she treasures. She and Lester share a chemistry that is both electric and poignant, and their scenes together rank among the most satisfying in the production.

Completing the central triangle, Levi Brown is perfectly cast as Christian. He captures both the charm and the uncertainty of the young soldier, a man who knows he is out of his depth but who loves with a sincerity that is quietly affecting. Brown plays the part without vanity, allowing Christian's limitations to sit alongside his genuine goodness, and the result is a far more sympathetic portrayal than audiences might expect.

Inventive Staging That Breaks the Fourth Wall

Director Lloyd Hutchinson (along with the wider creative team) has crafted a staging that is imaginative and immersive. The production makes bold use of the Noël Coward Theatre's architecture, with actors appearing not just on stage but in the royal boxes, the stalls, the dress circle and the upper circle. It is a thrilling device that draws the audience into Cyrano's world, making the 129-year-old story feel immediate, urgent and alive. You never feel like you are watching a museum piece. You feel like you are in the thick of it.

One of the production's most distinctive features is the use of a talented ensemble of onstage musicians. Their atmospheric accompaniment underscores Cyrano's speeches and soliloquies, lending a musical rhythm to the poetry and creating inventive sound effects during the battle scenes and comic set-pieces. It adds a lyrical quality that enriches the storytelling without ever overwhelming it, and the musicians become characters in their own right, part of the world of the play.

A Masterful Balance of Comedy, Romance and Heartbreak

What ultimately makes this Cyrano so special is its tonal control. It is genuinely, riotously funny in places, with Crimp's script delivering rib-tickling rebuttals and perfectly constructed comic sequences. But the laughter never undermines the emotional stakes. The transition from comedy to romance to heartbreak is handled with the kind of assurance that speaks to a production that has been refined and deepened through its Stratford run and is now firing on every cylinder.

The final act, in particular, is devastating. Without spoiling the specifics, the moment when words finally fail Cyrano, when the poet loses his greatest weapon precisely when he needs it most, is heartwrenching. Lester plays these scenes with a restraint that only amplifies their power. You could hear the proverbial pin drop in the theatre.

Should You Book Tickets for Cyrano?

In a word: absolutely. This is essential theatre. Every scene is electric, enchanting and exquisitely crafted, and Adrian Lester's performance alone would be worth the ticket price. But this is far more than a one-person show. It is a beautifully realised ensemble production, a love letter to the power of language, and a reminder of why live theatre can move us in ways that nothing else quite manages.

Cyrano is playing at the Noël Coward Theatre until 5 September 2026, but given its Stratford sell-out and the strength of word-of-mouth, tickets are likely to move quickly. If you are weighing up your options, do not wait.

Looking for more outstanding plays in London? Browse our full list of West End shows or explore new shows and transfers currently booking. You can also check out all available London theatre tickets on BritishTheatre.com.