The Miser

What Is The Miser About?

The Miser is a new adaptation of Molière's classic French comedy, reimagined for contemporary audiences by the celebrated writing and directing partnership of Sean Foley and Phil Porter. Originally written in 1668, Molière's play centres on Harpagon, a wealthy and spectacularly tight-fisted patriarch whose obsessive hoarding of gold brings chaos, heartbreak and farce to everyone around him. His children, Cléante and Élise, are desperate to marry for love, but their father's greed and paranoia stand in the way of everyone's happiness. The result is a riotous battle of wills, packed with mistaken identities, scheming servants and the kind of gleeful comic mayhem that has kept audiences laughing for centuries.

Why Is This Production Worth Seeing?

This West End revival of The Miser brings together serious comic talent both on stage and behind the scenes. Sean Foley is one of Britain's most accomplished directors of physical comedy, with a track record of transforming classic texts into hugely entertaining popular theatre. His collaborator Phil Porter is an experienced adaptor with a gift for sharp, accessible dialogue that retains the spirit of the original while speaking directly to modern audiences. Together, they have shaped a version of Molière's play that is both faithful to its roots and genuinely fresh. The production promises the kind of high-energy, expertly timed farce that the West End does so well.

Who Stars In The Miser?

The production stars Griff Rhys Jones in the lead role of Harpagon, the miserly patriarch at the heart of all the chaos. Griff Rhys Jones is one of Britain's best-loved comic performers, a two-time Olivier Award winner with a career spanning television, film, writing, presenting and stage work. He is perhaps best known to audiences as one half of the iconic television double act Smith and Jones, alongside Mel Smith, though his stage credentials are equally impressive. Most recently seen in the West End as Fagin in Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed revival of Oliver!, Rhys Jones brings enormous warmth, timing and physical dexterity to his performances, making him ideally suited to the demands of Molière's most celebrated comic role.

What Do Visitors Need to Know Before They Go?

The Miser played in London's West End and has since completed its run. Ticket prices varied depending on seat location and availability, as is standard for West End productions. If you are planning a trip to London and hoping to catch a similar production, it is always worth checking what is currently booking at major West End houses. For those visiting from outside the UK, the West End is concentrated around the Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden areas of central London, well served by Underground stations including Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus. Most West End shows run for approximately two to two and a half hours including an interval, though running times for this production were listed as to be confirmed.

What Are the Best Similar Shows to Book?

If you enjoyed The Miser or are looking for something in the same comic tradition, London theatre has a rich offering of classic and contemporary comedies worth exploring. Adaptations of French and European classic comedies have a long history on the British stage, and productions rooted in the farce tradition tend to reward audiences looking for wit, timing and physical comedy. You might also enjoy One Man, Two Guvnors, Richard Bean's brilliantly funny adaptation of a Commedia dell'arte classic, or Noises Off, Michael Frayn's celebrated backstage farce and one of the finest comedies in the British repertoire. For more classic comedy revivals, The Importance of Being Earnest is another perennial favourite that regularly receives acclaimed West End productions.