Full cast announced for THE MISANTHROPE at National Theatre
The National Theatre has announced the full cast who will be joining Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) for a new adaptation by Martin Crimp of Molière’s The Misanthrope, which plays in the Lyttelton from 16 June - 1 August.
Written in contemporary verse, this biting satire interrogates 21st-century private relationships and public debate, with Molière's infamous character – the misanthropic Alceste – here reimagined as Alice.
Joining the previously announced Paul Chahidi as John, Abigail Cruttenden as Claire and Sandra Oh as Alice will be Imogen Elliott as Esmée, Rina Fatania as Indira, Freddie MacBruce as Allen, Tom Mison as Stefan and Jemima Rooper as Elaine. Young performers include Arthur Blanc and Teddy Holton-Frances as Benjamin, and Francesca Fullilove and Poppy Townsend White as Madeleine.
The understudy cast completing the company includes Niamh James as understudy Esmée/Allen, Amira Matthews as understudy Claire/Indira/Elaine, Scott Sparrow as understudy Stefan, John Vernon as understudy John, and Gabby Wong as understudy Alice.
Alice, a brilliant novelist, despises the hollow contemporary mantras of kindness and respect. But the bolder she becomes in speaking out, the more colleagues avoid her, and the more her personal relationships begin to fracture. As she challenges fashionable ideas and lends her voice to causes others are afraid to touch, she faces intense criticism and backlash. Alice will soon learn the price she must pay as an artist and as a woman for daring to speak her mind.
The creative team includes director Indhu Rubasingham, set and costume designer Robert Jones, lighting designer Tim Lutkin, composer Anna Meredith, sound designer Alexander Caplen, movement director Lucy Hind, casting director Alastair Coomer CDG and Martin Poile CDG, and voice coach Jeannette Nelson.