Damian Lewis leads an outstanding ensemble with Tara Fitzgerald, Keira Knightley and Dominic Rowan in Martin Crimp’s blistering version of Molière’s greatest comedy, The Misanthrope.

Transported from 17th century Paris to modern-day London, Alceste (Damian Lewis) is a famous British playwright disillusioned and angry with the hypocrisy, shallowness and vanity of the contemporary world. Vowing to reject society, Alceste’s plans are derailed when he falls madly in love with Jennifer (Keira Knightley). An ambitious American film star and darling of the social scene, she may prove to be his biggest challenge yet.

Keira Knightley has cancelled her close-ups in front of movie cameras for a while so she can make her stage debut in the West End in December…the Oscar-nominated actress was said to be ‘terrified but excited’ about appearing in a modern-day version of Moliere’s 17th century masterpiece The Misanthrope, in which she will play a flirtatious Hollywood film star, joining an ensemble cast led by Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre actor Damian Lewis, who plays the title role.

Tara Fitzgerald and Dominic Rowan will also star. Rehearsals start the middle of next month, with preview performances at the Comedy Theatre from December 7 and an official opening night on December 17…As Damian, her future leading man, noted: ‘She’s been surrounded by theatre all her life. ‘She also knows of the importance of being part of a company of actors. ‘It’s not the bloody Keira Knightley show,’ she joked to one friend. That point was underscored by director Thea Sharrock…’Keira’s right – it’s not the Keira Knightley show. She’s the leading lady because she has the biggest female role, but she’s not the lead part. This is Damian’s show…

‘I signed up to work with Damian Lewis because it’s brilliant to get him back on stage. And along the way we happened to get Keira Knightley, which is fantastic and I’m very excited but, you know, it’s in that order.’

However, both Damian and Sharrock were clearly thrilled to be working with Keira because, however small her name is on the marquee, her star power will bring in punters…

The actors will work from a version of The Misanthrope shaped by Martin Crimp 15 years ago and first performed at the Young Vic with Ken Stott. Damian explained that it’s an entirely updated version of the play, originally written in 1666, where Moliere was venting his anger at the ‘insincerity and vacuousness and shallowness of society around him. ‘These are people who live to be seen at the latest play, to be wearing the latest fashion, to be generally complimenting and flattering anyone they see in order to further their way up the greasy social pole,’ he said.

Crimp has taken Moliere’s characters and turned them into a playwright (Damian’s character, Alceste), a critic, an agent, a journalist and others on the social whirl, plus an actress, known as Celimene in Moliere’s original but now called Jennifer (the role Keira will play).

‘Jennifer’s a young American starlet and everyone within the play is going: “Why on earth are you in love with her? She’s sh**ging everything that moves. ..”‘ Damian explained.

The actor observed that there has always been a need for ‘what’s current, what’s fashionable’. ‘It was true in 1666. It was true when Martin Crimp’s version was written 15 years ago and it’s true now,’ said Damian, who was speaking from the set of the movie Your Highness, which is shooting in Belfast…

“The Escapist,” a compelling prison-break yarn with an ensemble cast led by Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes and a redheaded actor who should be typecast as the Devil, Damian Lewis…

To my eye, the best of the bunch is “The Escapist,” rookie British director Rupert Wyatt’s compelling drama about a group of convicts plotting to bust out of the joint…

The wild card in this deck is a King of The Cell Block (Lewis), a sinister man of few words, who has no interest in rotating back to the real world, where he is nothing. Given his appearance, Lewis does not have to say a thing to establish himself as one of the most ominous presences to be seen on screen this year…

As for Cox, his performance personifies the kind the reason they give Academy Awards, but don’t. That’ll make more sense after seeing “The Escapist.” a movie that burrows underground, and perhaps into the mind of a man who might or might not be dead. Early candidate for line of the year: “You got one thing going for you: You’re too old to die young.”