Simon Bird, Lily Cole, Charlotte Ritchie, Tom Rosenthal and Matt Berry star in a new production of Christopher Hampton’s The Philanthropist at the Trafalgar Studios directed by Simon Callow until July 22nd.

Based on Moliere’s The Misanthrope and first performed the Royal Court in 1970, The Philanthropist depicts a day in the life of Philip, a nerdy Oxford don with a penchant for clever anagrams. With his younger fiancé, Celia, he is hosting a dinner party for six of their academic circle. Outside, however, the world is in turmoil, the Prime Minister and his cabinet have assassinated and England’s greatest writers are being picked off one by one, but when national tragedy strikes these dinner party guests are holding firm on only discussing themselves…Academics out of touch…never!