The Misanthrope National Theatre 2026 Playtext

Details

Two equally brilliant and ferociously funny adaptations by Martin Crimp of The Misanthrope, in one playtext. 

A Double Edition: Martin Crimp's brand new version of Molière's classic dark comedy is published back-to-back with his original adaptation of the play, first staged in 1996.

The playtext is formatted as a tête-bêche book, a bookbinding format where two separate books are bound together back-to-back, with one book printed upside down relative to the other.

THE MISANTHROPE (f.)

I'm not in your league - never will be - but Alice - / 'free speech' is a poisoned - believe me - chalice.

Alice, a brilliant novelist, despises the hollow modern mantras of 'kindness' and 'respect'. But her outspoken refusal to countenance hypocrisy damages her professional reputation. Then her volatile relationship with Stefan, the man she loves, begins to fracture. And soon she will learn the price to be paid - as an artist and as a woman - for daring to speak her mind.

***

THE MISANTHROPE (m.)

I'm enraged. I can't forgive
the way that men and women choose to live.

Alceste, an acclaimed playwright, abhors the well-rehearsed, sycophantic pleasantries of the chatting classes. But having savagely insulted a theatre critic who thinks he can write plays, Alceste goes on to attack Jennifer, the woman he loves. His determination to tell the bitter truth will eventually prove more destructive than his friends and colleagues' instinct to avoid it.

Martin Crimp's blistering first version of The Misanthrope, with a male protagonist, premiered in 1996 and was revived in the West End in 2009. His new adaptation, first performed at the National Theatre, London, in June 2026, throws the play into a stunning new light.