| Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Hannah Moscovitch |
| Directed by | Sarah Garton Stanley |
| Characters |
|
| Date premiered | January 8, 2020 |
| Place premiered | Tarragon Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Teacher-student affair |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | 2014 |
| tarragontheatre.com | |
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes is a 2020 play written by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch. It is the winner of the 2021 Governor General's Literary Award for English-language drama. The play was published by Playwrights Canada Press in 2021.
Premise
After his third divorce, a novelist and star lecturer is tortured with self-loathing when he notices himself liking a pupil — a girl in a red coat. The girl turns out to be a major fan of his work and who just so happens to live down the street from him.
Dates, venues, and companies
Following a first reading in the United States, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes has been performed for audiences in Canada and in Australia.
- 2017 - Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, Washington (first reading)[1]
- 2020 - Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, Ontario (premiere)[1]
- 2021 - Southbank Theatre, The Sumner, Melbourne, Australia (Melbourne Theatre Company)[1]
- 2025 and 2026 - Minetta Lane Theatre, New York City, New York
Canadian crew
The play had its first reading in June 2017 at the Seattle Repertory Theatre in Seattle, Washington[1] and had its world premiere at the Tarragon Theatre, in Toronto, Ontario, known for its development, creation and encouragement of new work in Canada.[2]
Cast
Source:[3]
- Annie: Alice Snaden
- Jon: Matthew Edison
Creative team
Source:[3]
- Hannah Moscovitch – Playwright
- Sarah Garton Stanley – Director
- Eva Barrie – Assistant Director
- Michael Gianfrancesco – Set Designer
- Michael Gianfrancesco – Costume Designer
- Bonnie Beecher – Lighting Designer
- Hilary Pitman – Assistant Lighting Designer
- Julian Iacob – Assistant Lighting Designer
- Miquelon Rodriguez – Sound Designer
- Laura Warren – Video Designer
- Joanna Falck – Dramaturge
- Siobhan Richardson – Intimacy Coach
Production
Source:[3]
- Daniel Oulton – Stage Manager
- Jaimee Hall – Apprentice Stage Manager
- Jahnelle Jones-Williams – Resident Student
Staff
Source:[3]
- Gerry Egan – Production Manager
- John Thomson – Technical Director
- Kathleen Johnston – Head of Wardrobe
- Shaw Forgeron – Interim Head of Properties
- Andrew Chute - Scenic Carpenter
Australian crew
Cast
Source:[4]
- Annie: Izabella Yena
- Jon: Dan Spielman
Creative team
Source:[4]
- Petra Kalive – Director
- Marg Horwell – Set and Costume Designer
- Rachel Burke – Lighting Designer
- Darius Kedros – Composer and Sound Designer
- Isabella Vadiveloo – Assistant Director
- Michala Banas – Intimacy Coordinator
- Xanthe Beesley – Movement Consultant
Off Broadway Cast
Cast
- Annie: Ella Beatty (u/s Sophia Talwalkar)
- Jon: Hugh Jackman
Audible Recording
An audio-only recording of the play was made available on October 9th, 2025 on the audio book platform Audible performed by Hugh Jackman and Ella Beatty. [5]
Awards
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes won the Governor General's Award for English-language drama[6] at the 2021 Governor General's Awards.[7]
Reception
The play has generally been well received in both Canada and Australia. In Toronto, Joe Szekeres, chief critic for the Onstage Blog writes, "Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch viscerally overturned the #metoo movement on its head with a sizable goose egg bump at the premiere",[8] and Carly Maga, theatre critic at the Toronto Star calls Moscovitch, "in control of her narrative, which she increasingly makes clear in her characterizations", claiming it to be "a powerful thing to witness."[9] In Melbourne, Jane Mulkerrins at The Age adds the play explores "deftly subverting traditional tropes within the age-old story of a student-teacher affair".[10]
References
- ^ a b c d Mulkerrins, Jane (2021-02-26). "Teacher-student affair 'not a love story': why play's male directors got it wrong". The Age. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
- ^ Ouzounian, Richard (2010-09-27). "Speaking of theatre, Tarragon Theatre celebrates 40 years". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
- ^ a b c d "Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes | The Toronto Theatre Database". Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ a b "Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes". www.mtc.com.au. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ "Audible Theater and TOGETHER Announce Collaboration | About Audible". www.audible.com. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
- ^ "Halifax playwright Hannah Moscovitch wins Governor General's Literary Award for drama". CBC News. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ Bresge, Adina (November 17, 2021). "Inuk author Norma Dunning wins $25K Governor General's fiction prize". Coast Reporter. Canadian Press. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ Szekeres, Joe (January 9, 2020). "Toronto Review: "Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes" at Tarragon Theatre". OnStage Blog. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ Maga, Carly (2020-01-09). "Review | 'Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes' is a familiar story of seduction — until it isn't". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
- ^ Mulkerrins, Jane (2021-02-26). "Teacher-student affair 'not a love story': why play's male directors got it wrong". The Age. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
