Second Best

At ten years old, Martin Hill was on the brink of stardom, down to the final two contenders for the role of Harry Potter but narrowly missing out. Now an adult, Martin is about to embark on the ultimate adventure – fatherhood. As he navigates this whirlwind of emotions, he is pulled back to that pivotal moment in his past as he struggled to move beyond imagining what his life might have been.

Second Best is a playful yet poignant new comedy about fate, near-misses and the winding paths life takes. It explores the ache of almost touching greatness and the humour and hope that come when dreams remain just out of reach. A story about the tender moments that shape us, Second Best is for anyone who has ever wondered about the road not taken, and whether the other life would have been as glittering as it looks.

Starring Asa Butterfield (Netflix’s Sex Education) in his stage debut, written by Barney Norris, based on David Foenkinos’ best-selling novel and directed by Michael Longhurst.

"An exquisitely bittersweet comedy of life's missed opportunities." — Jonathan Coe, on the novel Second Best