This is London Magazine July Edition 2026 - Flipbook - Page 50
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THE MISANTHROPE National Theatre
It’s hard to remember what Moliere’s
classic comedy The Misanthrope is
about, apart from the obvious onedimensional character of the title. It
never made me laugh when I was
studying French literature, anyway.
Whereas Martin Crimp’s new version for
the NT cleverly transposes the satire to
modern day London and switches the
genders of angry firebrand and placatory
ally. Sandra Oh’s Alice is a Booker Prizewinning novelist famed for her sparkling
prose and intellectual rigour; her old
friend John (Paul Chahidi) is a mere
playwright who seeks to entertain – as
well as gently steer Alice away from
social disaster.
Alice likes to rant. In the opening
scene she is telling John off for
exchanging kisses with a female admirer
of his work whom he didn’t actually
recognise. Her tone is accusing, her
morals pure. She despises superficiality.
This exposition of her personality is
quickly followed by a toe-curling
encounter with a young woman who
professes to be a huge fan of Alice’s
work. Both gushing and fiercely strident
(‘Don’t call me girl’), Esmée wishes to
emulate Alice. Invited to read out the
first paragraph of a novel she has
penned, Esmée is a veritable fountain of
meaningless platitudes.
Tom Mison (Stefan) and Rina Fatania
Photos: Marc Brenner
(Indira)
Paul Chahidi (John).
Alice’s brutal critique of Esmée
garners the inevitable internet backlash.
She should have known, except that
Alice’s puritanical zeal means she is a
social media virgin. So far, so
screamingly funny.
It’s just that Crimp’s play is – despite
being performed with no interval – a
game of two halves. In the later stages of
the play, we observe Alice’s softer side.
She is in love with a handsome young
actor, Stefan (Tom Mison) who comes
complete with long suffering agent and
nonsensical reputation manager. Why?
Good question, for Stefan is in love with
the world of celebrity with all its swags,
tassels and Champagne. He is as hollow
as she is rigid.
It is easy to tire of him – especially
when his gift to Alice is a costume party
where all the characters dress in 17th
Century costumes and speak in rhyming
couplets.
Perhaps, in the end, we learn again
that a person who dislikes everyone in
general is indeed far from likeable
themselves. Sandra Oh is formidable as
Alice, but Paul Chahidi is very smooth
as John, and John, Alice’s friend, is a
more soothing, endearing fellow. Food
for thought indeed.
Sue Webster
JANE EYRE UK PREMIERE AT
SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE ELEPHANT
Jane Eyre, a musical by John Caird
and Paul Gordon, based on the novel by
Charlotte Brontë, will have its UK
Premiere at Southwark Playhouse
Elephant from 28 August to 24 October.
John Caird, the RSC and National
Theatre director, co-directs with
Broadway star Megan McGinnis.
This five-time Tony nominated
musical, which originally premiered in
Toronto in 1996 and was subsequently
produced on Broadway in 2000, retells
Brontë’s revolutionary story of ambition
and independence, gothic mystery and
great passionate love.
Jane Eyre has enchanted generations
and is brought into the 21st century with
this new production. West End stars
Charlie Burn and Ashley Gilmour are
Jane and Rochester, and when
accompanied by an epic sweeping score,
prepare to see Jane, the first feminist
literary icon, like you never have before.
1970’S RE-IMAGINING OF
SHAKESPEARE'S TWELFTH NIGHT
Shakespeare's joyful comedy gets a
retro revamp this autumn as Acting
Gymnasium brings its critically
acclaimed disco-inspired production of
Twelfth Night to Drayton Arms Theatre
from 1 to 26 September. Shakespeare
meets Saturday Night Fever in this fresh
adaptation of the classic comedy
updated and reimagined to 1970’s disco
culture.
Twelfth Night follows Viola,
shipwrecked in Illyria and believing her
twin brother Sebastian to be drowned,
she disguises herself as a young man
called Cesario to work for Duke Orsino
and promptly falls in love with him.
Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia
and sends Cesario to win her heart on
his behalf. Instead, Olivia falls head over
heels for the disguised Viola, sparking a
hilarious chain of mistaken identities,
tangled romances and comic chaos in
one of Shakespeare's most beloved
comedies.
T H I S I S L O N D O N M A G A Z I N E • T H I S I S L O N D O N O N L I N E • w w w. t i l . c o m • @ t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g
