This Christmas, the brightest star isn’t to be found in mangers, or on Christmas trees, but at the Comedy Theatre. Keira Knightley, arguably the most famous actress in Britain today, has chosen to make her stage debut in a new version of Molière’s The Misanthrope. Some of the critics had sharpened their knives, preparing themselves for an early Christmas turkey, but the truth is that she’s actually very good, if hardly stretched, in the role of a vain, backstabbing American film starlet, willing to do anything to further her career.
But the chief appeal of this new version of the play (in a witty translation by Martin Crimp) is the way that it allows its protagonist, the modish playwright Alceste (superbly embodied by a spiky, confrontational Damian Lewis) to rail against modern society in a compelling and witty way, whether it’s squaring up against the theatre critic Covington, who has delusions of being a playwright (a very funny Tim McMullan) or criticising the populist politician ‘with his flat, bland mask of pity’. Naming no names…
Thea Sharrock’s direction is pacy and inventive throughout, and this proves to be a clever and thoroughly modish way of keeping 17th century satire relevant for a new age and generation. If you can get tickets, this is well worth your while.
Comedy Theatre, Panton Street, W1. www.themisanthropelondon.com
