Academy, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Christine Lahti will make her London stage debut this summer in her acclaimed autobiographical play The Smile of Her.
The production runs at Marylebone Theatre from Friday 10 July to Saturday 29 August 2026, with a national press night on Thursday 16 July.
Directed by Mêlisa Annis, the production marks Lahti’s first UK stage appearance and the first London outing of the solo work she both wrote and performs.
Funny, furious and deeply personal, the play traces a woman’s journey from 1950s suburban America to a rapidly changing world, confronting family mythology, misogyny and the pressures of being “a good girl.”
Performed by Lahti in a tour-de-force role, The Smile of Her explores the stories we inherit, the voices we silence and the fight to reclaim ourselves.
Christine Lahti said: “I am thrilled to be bringing The Smile of Her to London, and to be making my London stage debut at Marylebone Theatre with a piece that is so deeply personal to me. This play began as an attempt to understand the stories I inherited, the silences I grew up inside and the ways women are taught to smile through pain, anger and ambition. It is funny, painful, full of love and, I hope, ultimately liberating. To share it with London audiences for the first time is incredibly meaningful.”
Produced by Nina Tassler, Jenny Warburg and Wild Yak in association with Gloria Steinem, the production features design by Sarah Beaton, sound design by David Gregory, lighting design by Matt Haskins and projection design by Matt Powell.
The Smile of Her received its world premiere at Berkshire Theatre Group in July 2023.
Lahti’s extensive career spans film, television and theatre, including roles in Chicago Hope, Law and Order SVU, The Blacklist and Evil. Her recent work includes Fire Country and the feature film Bird in Hand, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2025.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
