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The Misanthrope review: Sandra Oh is this production's saving grace
Sandra Oh's London stage debut was less than perfect – but the fault doesn't lie with the Killing Eve star.
Marc Brenner
- Joanna Magill
Published: Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at 3:07 pm
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A star rating of 2 out of 5.
As an examination of the selfishness and empty flattery of contemporary society, Molière's 1666 play The Misanthrope is packed full of sentiments that ring eerily true today. So when renowned playwright Martin Crimp decided to create a new adaptation, hopes were high for a biting satire of the digital age.
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Unfortunately, the script doesn't quite live up to expectations. Instead of sharp and nuanced takes on how society functions today, most of the commentary falls into the overdone "We live in a society" trope in an attempt to capture the zeitgeist.
We follow our main character, fiction writer Alice, as she navigates the perils of being no-nonsense and straight-talking in the modern world. Throughout the play, she offends a younger aspiring writer and is 'cancelled', debates whether or not to retract a statement that could cost her a literary prize and agonises over her relationship with a younger actor, hyper-involved in his own publicity.
The self-congratulatory script offers no new takes on contemporary culture, instead reviving the stale talking points we've seen since the turn of the century. Think the classic "technology is bad" arguments.
Combine this with the lack of a clear centre to the play, and you're left with a production that has simultaneously too much and too little to say.
This is perhaps most evident in one of the final scenes, where the elite of today are dressed up as members of the Grand Siècle-era high society, under the guise of a costume party. While incredibly visually impressive, this is a ham-fisted comparison that reads as disjointed from the rest of the production.
Where Martin Crimp's wit appears is in the fourth-wall-breaking jabs at the theatre, which are sprinkled throughout the script and never fail to land. The rapid-fire couplets are also an interesting and immersive feature, adding vigour during rapid-fire scenes.
Paul Chahidi (John), Rina Fatania (Indira), Sandra Oh (Alice) and Freddie MacBruce (Allen). Marc Brenner
The script is buoyed by some truly stellar performances. Sandra Oh's Alice is beautifully layered, with her conflicting desires adding depth and nuance to the stage. Her comedic timing is impeccable, with physical comedy and clever intonation causing full-on guffaws from the audience.
Some of the best moments of the production come in the duo scenes between Sandra Oh's Alice and Paul Chahidi's John, with a natural ease and obvious friendly chemistry between the pair.
Imogen Elliott's Esmée is laugh-out-loud hilarious and another example of excellent physical comedy in the production. However, the character's return later in the story is so baffling and thoroughly unexplainable that even Elliott's performance can't save it.
Kudos must be given to Anna Meredith's heavy pulsating score, adding an extra layer of tension and foreboding, particularly during the visually stunning Grand Siècle scene, in which Robert Jones's surrealist chandelier-dripping set is one of the production's high points.
It's undeniable that there are good bones to this play and plenty of potential to provide witty criticisms of modern living. However, despite a strong cast, The Misanthrope doesn't quite stick the landing.
For more of our thoughts on the latest London theatre, check out our War Horse review and Beetlejuice the Musical review.
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When and where can I see Sandra Oh in The Misanthrope?
The Misanthrope is currently showing at the Lyttelton Theatre, which is part of the National Theatre on Southbank.
The production will run until Saturday 11 July.
How to get The Misanthrope tickets starring Sandra Oh
You can purchase The Misanthrope tickets at TodayTix and SeatPlan.
Tickets have been heavily in demand for this production and there are few left- if you fancy getting your hands on one, we'd recommend you act fast!
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Joanna Magill
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