The National Theatre in the UK has announced a 2026 season featuring prominent talents such as Cate Blanchett, Sandra Oh, Nina Hoss, and Lorraine Toussaint, set to perform at the Southbank in London. This exciting lineup centers on the Sandra Oh National Theatre collaboration, bringing acclaimed actors to some of the season’s most anticipated productions.
Cate Blanchett Returns with a New World Premiere
Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will return to the National Theatre after her debut in 2019 with Martin Crimp’s When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, directed by Katie Mitchell. In 2026, Blanchett stars alongside Nina Hoss and Ella Lily Hyland in the world premiere of Electra / Persona, which opens on the Lyttelton stage in the autumn. The production is directed by Benedict Andrews, known for his critically praised 2014 Old Vic revival of Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire, featuring Gillian Anderson, Ben Foster, and Vanessa Kirby.
A Bold Fusion of Classics in Electra / Persona
This new play uniquely blends Sophocles’ Electra with Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 film Persona, which starred Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson. The story explores a famous actress who becomes mute and is cared for by a young nurse, probing complex psychological themes. Director Benedict Andrews described the play’s focus as an exploration into
“the inner life of an actress and query how grief can make us strangers to ourselves.”
The accompanying music is composed by Oscar-winner Hildur Guðnadóttir, notable for her work on Joker and Tár.
Sandra Oh Makes Her National Theatre Debut in Gender-Reimagined Molière
Sandra Oh will make her debut at the National Theatre by leading a new adaptation of Molière’s The Misanthrope, rewritten by Martin Crimp and directed by the theatre’s artistic director Indhu Rubasingham. The show, featuring a gender-swapped protagonist named Alice, a best-selling novelist who challenges social conventions, will play at the Lyttelton Theatre from June 16 to August 1. Alice, who
“despises the hollow contemporary mantras of kindness and respect,”
finds her relationships strained as she speaks more boldly.
Artistic Team Praises Sandra Oh’s Suitability for the Role
Rubasingham, who directed a previous version of Crimp’s adaptation more than 20 years ago at the Chichester Festival Theatre, expressed great enthusiasm for returning to the play and working with Oh. She said it is
“a real joy to come back to this play”
and added she is
“thrilled Sandra Oh, who I have known and admired for a long time, is coming to join me at the National.”
Alongside Oh, actors Paul Chahidi and Abigail Cruttenden will also perform.
“despises the hollow contemporary mantras of kindness and respect. But the bolder she becomes in speaking out, the more colleagues avoid her ,and the more her personal relationships begin to fracture.”
– Martin Crimp
“a real joy to come back to this play.”
– Indhu Rubasingham
“thrilled Sandra Oh, who I have known and admired for a long time, is coming to join me at the National.”
– Indhu Rubasingham
“and query how grief can make us strangers to ourselves.”
– Benedict Andrews
Additional Noteworthy Productions and Cast Highlights
Blanchett’s active stage presence continues after her acclaimed lead role in Chekhov’s The Seagull last spring at the Barbican Theatre, with speculation about the production transferring to New York in 2027. Meanwhile, Lorraine Toussaint, a celebrated stage actress, will join Letitia Wright in Tracey Scott Wilson’s newsroom thriller The Story. This revival, directed by Clint Dyer, runs on the Olivier stage from August 27 to September 3. The cast for The Story also includes Aliyah Odoffin, Wilf Scolding, Ashley Thomas, along with Tee Arnold, Donna Augustin, Antonia Bernath, Linseigh Green, Jay Simpson, and Unique Spencer.
Significance and Anticipated Impact of the 2026 Season
The National Theatre’s 2026 season is poised to captivate audiences with its blend of classical reinvention and contemporary storytelling, showcasing esteemed artists like Sandra Oh and Cate Blanchett in roles that push boundaries. Sandra Oh’s involvement, marking her debut at this historic venue, is particularly notable, promising a fresh and powerful interpretation of Molière’s work. This season underscores the theatre’s commitment to innovative programming and reinforces its status as a leading destination for world-class performances in London and beyond.
