Rehearsal photos released for THE MISANTHROPE starring Sandra Oh

Shehrazade Zafar-Arif 2 June, 2026, 14:55

Behind-the-scenes photos have been released of rehearsals for The Misanthrope at the National Theatre, starring Sandra Oh.

The Misanthrope Photo provided by production

National Theatre Director Indhu Rubasingham (The Father and the Assassin) directs Martin Crimp's (Cyrano de Bergerac) cutting new adaptation of this 17th century comedy of manners written by Moliere. Crimp updates the setting to 1990s London and reimagines Moliere's brutal anti-hero, the French aristocrat Alceste, as a woman novelist named Alice who rejects the social conventions of kindness and respect in the sycophantic literary and entertainment world she works in.

Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy, Killing Eve) will make her National Theatre debut as Alice in The Misanthrope, alongside Paul Chahidi and Abigail Cruttenden. They will be joined by Imogen Elliott as Esmée, Rina Fatania as Indira, Freddie MacBruce as Allen, Tom Mison as Stefan and Jemima Rooper as Elaine.

The creative team includes set and costume designer Robert Jones, lighting designer Tim Lutkin, composer Anna Meredith, sound designer Alexander Caplen, movement director Lucy Hind, voice coach Jeannette Nelson, associate director Gitika Buttoo and associate set and costume designer Ethan Cheek.

The Misanthrope will run in the National’s Lyttelton Theatre from 16 June to 1 August, with a press night set for 23 June.