James Graham’s new play The Standard of Living will make its world premiere in London’s West End this autumn, exploring the life of economist John Maynard Keynes. The production, directed by Nicholas Hytner, features a high-profile cast and creative team for a limited run starting 21 September.

The Standard of Living, a play by James Graham, will open at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 21 September to 12 December 2026. The work focuses on John Maynard Keynes, the influential economist and member of the Bloomsbury Group, whose advocacy for public arts funding helped shape the post-war world.

Rory Kinnear leads the cast as Keynes, with Royal Ballet principal Natalia Osipova making her West End debut as Lydia Lopokova, Keynes’ Russian ballerina spouse. The ensemble also includes Thomas Flynn as Duncan Grant, Laurie Kynaston as Friedrich Hayek, Pip Carter as Lytton Strachey, Agatha Enecio as Dora Carrington, Naomi Frederick as Virginia Woolf, Claire Price as Vanessa Bell, and George Taylor as William Beveridge.

Nicholas Hytner directs the production, supported by set designer Bob Crowley and costume designer Jenny Beavan. Other creative collaborators include movement director James Cousins, composer Frank Moon, and ballet consultant Edward Watson. The technical team is completed by lighting designer Bruno Poet, sound designer Carolyn Downing, and projection designer Luke Halls.

Graham highlighted the appeal of portraying Keynes as a “humble, radical world-builder” whose life intersects politics, economics, the arts, and diplomacy. This marks the latest work by Graham examining key economists on stage; last summer he depicted Adam Smith in Scotland’s premiere of Make It Happen.

Supporting wider access, 25% of tickets will be priced at £25, alongside a “Keynes Tickets” scheme offering £25 tickets for under-30s throughout the run. The production is produced by Brian and Dayna Lee with Hytner, in partnership with Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen, and Ramin Sabi, following their collaborations on previous West End and Broadway projects.

General management is handled by Short Street Productions Ltd, with Mark Rubinstein serving as executive producer. The Standard of Living promises to bring a complex historical figure to life amid the resurgence of biography-driven theatre in the capital.