National Theatre shows in London

Sandra Oh will star as the titular Misanthrope in this modern adaptation of Moliere's classic comedy of manners, in which a brilliant but misanthropic novelist lashes out against the sycophantic society around her and risks destroying her reputation. Martin Crimp's wickedly funny and clever retelling will relocate this classic play to the modern day, with Moliere's anti-hero reimagined as a woman, in a searing and contemporary take on this dark comedy about public perceptions.

Olivier Award winner Hiran Abeysekera (The Father and the Assassin) stars in a stunning new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, in this new play by Anupama Chandrasekhar. Experience the story of Mowgli, a wild child raised by the animals of the jungle, in this epic, colourful production that brings Kipling's iconic jungle setting to life with jaw-dropping, life-sized puppets. Coming this Christmas, The Jungle Book is a piece of theatrical marvel that the whole family can fall in love with.

Cate Blanchett stars in this thrilling production that blends ancient myth and modern psychology, fusing Sophocles's Electra with Ingmar Bergman's Persona. An actress suddenly falls silent during a performance of Electra and what follows is an unsettling, intense encounter between two women. Directed by Benedict Andrews, this bold new play explores grief, identity and performance.

Black Panther star Letitia Wright will star in the UK premiere of Tracey Scott-Wilson's The Story, a smart and slick newsroom drama about an ambitious young reporter's investigation of a murder of a white teacher in a black neighbourhood. Clint Dyer (Othello, Death of England) directs this thrilling mystery play about the elusive nature of the truth, which offers a raw look at the relationship between race and media.

Francesca Mills stars in this new production of acclaimed British dramatist Jim Cartwright's modern classic, directed by Robert Hastie. Mills plays Little Voice, who sings in the sanctuary of her bedroom until she's forced into the spotlight and made to confront the perils that come with fame and stardom. Revived multiple times and adapted into film, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is a powerful, heartrending story that has been enthralling audiences for decades.

Matthew Warchus and Stephen Beresford bring to life the remarkable true story of a group of gay and lesbian activists who allied themselves with miners during the strikes of 1984. Fierce, funny, and moving, Pride tells the story of two threatened communities who came together during a powerful moment in British and queer history, told through a score of original songs inspired by protest anthems, pop, rock, disco and the Welsh choral tradition.

This modern classic from Caryl Churchill, one of Britain's most influential playwrights, offers a daring and satirical exploration of gender, power and the legacies of empire, by transposing a colonial administrator and his family from Victorian-era colonial Africa to 1970s London. Directed by Dominic Cooke and featuring a fiercely talented cast, this revival of Churchill's landmark work is filled with audacious theatricality and razor-sharp wit.

This provocative new play from Helen Edmundson is directed by Blanche McIntyre and stars Anne-Marie Duff as Julie Robson, a woman who is constantly overlooked until a chance encounter on a station platform forces her to take a stand against the systems that shape and define the world. Driven by thought-provoking questions about what it means to raise your voice, this is an unmissable play among the National Theatre's powerful slate of 2026 plays.

For a limited, one-week run, acclaimed Portuguese playwright and director Tiago Rodrigues (Director of Festival d'Avignon) brings his compelling play to the National Theatre for its UK premiere. In South Portugal in 2028, Catarina is poised to undergo a rite of passage that's been her family tradition for seventy years: killing her first fascist. But what happens when she refuses? This is a play with a unique premise and deeply intense storytelling, forcing us to examine the darkest parts of human nature.