Letitia Wright, Cate Blanchett and Sandra Oh to star in National Theatre shows

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondentJanuary 27, 2026 at 06:00 AM

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The National Theatre announced its 2026 season featuring a female-led lineup of productions starring prominent actors. Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss will lead a combined adaptation of Electra and Persona, while Sandra Oh will make her National Theatre debut in The Misanthrope. Letitia Wright will star in The Story, Lesley Manville in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and Francesca Mills in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. Artistic director Indhu Rubasingham aims to create an agenda-setting program that attracts audiences with both big names and innovative theater. This strategy, however, has raised concerns about star-casting potentially harming smaller theaters. Rubasingham defends her approach as necessary to sell tickets and establish a strong narrative for the National Theatre.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

New York 30% Clint Dyer 40% Kiln Theatre ×240% Benedict Andrews 50% Francesca Mills 50% Nina Hoss 60% Lesley Manville 60% Indhu Rubasingham ×470% Cate Blanchett ×280% Letitia Wright ×280% Sandra Oh ×380% National Theatre ×790%

Keywords

national theatre 100% theatre season 80% star-casting 70% indhu rubasingham 70% female-led 60% theatre director 50% stage adaptation 50% new productions 40%