The National Theatre has unveiled a spectacularly star-studded lineup for its 2026 season, with Hollywood and stage luminaries including Cate Blanchett, Sandra Oh, and Letitia Wright taking centre stage in a bold programme of productions. Artistic director Indhu Rubasingham, the first woman and first person of colour to lead the institution, promises a season that will "theatrically explode" with inventive, female-led theatre that aims to both challenge audiences and fill seats.
A Trio of Leading Ladies Headline Ambitious Productions
Sandra Oh, celebrated for her roles in Killing Eve and Grey's Anatomy, will make her National Theatre debut in a fresh adaptation of Molière's classic social satire, The Misanthrope. This production will be directed by Rubasingham herself, who also serves as the theatre's joint chief executive, marking a significant collaboration between the new artistic director and one of television's most acclaimed actors.
Meanwhile, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett teams up with German star Nina Hoss for an experimental theatrical fusion that combines Sophocles' ancient Greek tragedy Electra with Ingmar Bergman's seminal 1966 film Persona. Directed by Benedict Andrews, this ambitious production promises to blur the boundaries between classical myth and cinematic masterpiece, creating what is likely to be one of the season's most talked-about shows.
British Talent Completes the Stellar Roster
Letitia Wright, the British star of Black Panther fame, leads the cast of Tracey Scott Wilson's gripping newsroom thriller The Story, under the direction of Clint Dyer. She is joined by esteemed British actors Lesley Manville and Francesca Mills, who will appear in separate productions throughout the year.
Manville features in a new adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the Lyttleton Theatre in spring, while Mills takes the lead in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, scheduled to open in December. This combination of international stars and homegrown talent reflects Rubasingham's commitment to presenting what she describes as "the full breadth of talent on our stages and behind the scenes."
Rubasingham's Vision: Bold Theatre That Sells Tickets
The emphasis on high-profile casting has drawn some criticism within the industry, with Nadine Rennie, co-chair of the Casting Directors' Guild, warning that excessive star-casting can be "killing" the theatre sector by making it difficult for mid-scale venues and potentially undermining audience engagement. However, Rubasingham remains unapologetic about her approach.
Having grown up in Mansfield and studied drama at the University of Hull before making her name at the Kiln Theatre, Rubasingham brings considerable experience to her role. She successfully programmed hits like Florian Zeller's Family Trilogy, Lolita Chakrabarti's Red Velvet, and Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden during her tenure there.
"There's a sense I've done the job," Rubasingham remarked in a recent interview. "Yes, it's much bigger, but the principles are the same. I've got to programme shows that sell tickets. I've got to have a narrative." That narrative appears to be one of confident, risk-taking theatre that embraces both established names and innovative storytelling.
Additional Highlights and Returning Favourites
The 2026 season also features several other notable productions. The beloved spectacle War Horse, which first premiered in 2007, returns to the Southbank in May for a run at the Olivier Theatre as it approaches its twentieth anniversary, following an extensive international tour.
Furthermore, two Broadway transfers will attempt to captivate British audiences: Robert Hastie's production of Hamlet and Alexander Zeldin's The Other Place. These additions demonstrate the National Theatre's ongoing commitment to bringing international work to UK stages.
Rubasingham summarised her vision for the season, stating: "From bold new voices to international collaborators, this is a year that celebrates the full breadth of talent on our stages and behind the scenes. It's a privilege to stage work that theatrically explodes, surprises and challenges us to see the world anew. Bringing this range of exhilarating productions to audiences in the UK and around the globe is what the National Theatre is all about."
