The Misanthrope

In what is arguably "one of the most eagerly awaited West End openings of the year" (The Telegraph), Damian Lewis stars in The Misanthrope alongside an A-list cast which includes Tara Fitzgerald, Dominic Rowan and, the actress everyone will be queuing up to see, Keira Knightley. The actress famous for her pout makes her stage debut in Moliere's great comedy at the Comedy Theatre and, as theatrical firsts go, this is "eye-wateringly hot stuff", so says The Telegraph and it's hard to disagree. In Martin Crimp's adaptation, first performed at The Young Vic in 1996, 17th century Paris becomes modern-day London where we find the misanthropic Alceste (Damian Lewis) a famous British playwright fed up with the shallowness and triviality of the world. As if to confound his firmly held opinions, he falls in love with Jennifer (Keira Knightley), an American film star who embodies the very qualities he detests. At a time when 'being famous' qualifies as a career objective for many young people, this adaptation of The Misanthrope is particularly resonant with todays audience. And in a 'life imitating art' sort of way, Ms Knightley - star of Atonement, the Pirates of the Caribbean, and the face of Chanel - is in the best position to judge whether fame and being on the front cover of Vogue is all it's cracked up to be. This production is directed by Thea Sharrock, who did wonders for Daniel Radcliffe's stage cred in Equus. With Keira not having been on stage since she was 14 it will be interesting to see if she can cut it in what will be the season's hottest ticket.

Ages 12 and upwards