The Standard of Living
Brand new prestige drama with The Standard of Living play tickets
What do you think makes a good life? In James Graham’s (Punch, Dear England) latest work, Olivier Award winner Rory Kinnear plays John Maynard Keynes, one of the UK’s most important 21st-century economists – and his story is more exciting than you might think. Known as the father of macroeconomics, this rebel from the establishment bursts onto the stage in the world premiere of The Standard of Living play, which runs at Theatre Royal Haymarket for a strictly limited season.
John Maynard Keynes is known as one of the founding figures in macroeconomics, but his life was about much more than numbers. Husband to Russian ballerina Lydia Lopokova, lover to Duncan Grant, and a member of the artsy Bloomsbury Group that included Virginia Woolf – Keynes broke every stereotype you think you know about economists. As he moved between the halls of Westminster and the free-thinking circle of writers, lovers and artists, the world was changing. Crashing markets, crumbling systems and a Britain on the edge all lead to one question: what exactly is a good life?
Brimming with humour, dance, debate and life, The Standard of Living is an eye-opening story about a man who believed in something better.
Rory Kinnear stars as John Maynard Keynes, opposite Royal Ballet principal Natalia Osipova in her West End debut as Lydia Lopokova.
Rory Kinnear is an Olivier Award-winning actor known for roles in Hamlet and Othello at the National Theatre. On screen, he has appeared in James Bond films including Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, and starred in Penny Dreadful, Bank of Dave and Black Mirror.
Natalia Osipova is best known in the UK for her work with The Royal Ballet. She has appeared in some of the greatest works in the canon, including Mayerling, The Nutcracker, Onegin and Le Corsaire, as well as more recent pieces like Woolf Works.
The Standard of Living is Olivier Award-winning writer James Graham’s latest play, following his enormously successful shows Punch and Dear England, which was adapted into a BBC miniseries in 2026. With a brilliant ability to transform complex subjects into gripping stage shows, any work by Graham is a hot ticket in the West End. The creative team includes director Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys, One Man Two Guvnors, Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre).
Numbers and politics might sound boring, but this show is anything but. Immerse yourself in a flurry of passion, dance and discovery with tickets for the Standard of Living play this autumn.
Child friendly?
The Standard of Living play age rating is to be confirmed.