John Boyega goes from ‘Star Wars’ to London’s Old Vic stage

LONDON – John Boyega is going from space battles in “Star Wars” to earthbound struggles onstage at London’s Old Vic Theatre.

The theatre says the 24-year-old actor will get his first West End starring role in “Woyzeck,” the story of a soldier who commits an act of brutal violence. The new version of Georg Buchner’s 19th-century drama is written by Jack Thorne, the playwright behind “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

Boyega, who played Finn in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” is currently filming the eighth instalment in the sci-fi saga.

The play, which opens in February 2017, was announced Wednesday as part of the Old Vic’s 2016-2017 season.

The lineup also includes a production of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” starring Glenda Jackson and a 20th-anniversary revival of Yasmina Reza’s global hit “Art.”