Review: Copenhagen (Hampstead Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hampstead Theatre has been one of my favourite theatres to visit in London for several years now, going from strength to strength in their recent programming, with multiple shows over the past twelve months ranking among the best I have ever seen there. The rest of their 2026 output looks similarly impressive, with upcoming productions of We Had A World and Kimberly Akimbo among the highlights. Perhaps their most hotly anticipated production of the year has been their star revival of Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, practically selling out its entire run in advance. Hopes were understandably high, especially given the reliable names attached both in the cast and creative team, but would Copenhagen manage to hit the mark, or prove to be more of a disaster?

Premiering at London’s National Theatre, this marks the first time the play has returned to the capital since its debut in 1998. Set in the middle of the Second World War in 1941, Copenhagen sees the great German physicist Werner Heisenberg make a strange trip to the capital of Denmark to visit his Danish counterpart, Niels Bohr. Why Heisenberg went to Copenhagen and what he wanted to say to Bohr has exercised historians in the decades since, and this play explores the possibilities in an attempt to find the answers.

Written by Michael Frayn, Copenhagen offers a strange structure, beginning with Heisenberg, Bohr, and his wife Margrethe stuck in some sort of limbo after they have all seemingly died. Looking back at their lives, they revisit their interaction in 1941, resetting multiple times to offer different theories and perspectives on the meeting. It can prove a little hard to follow at times, and is certainly on the longer side of plays, coming in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, though unfortunately, it struggled to enthral me for all of that time, feeling a bit too slow throughout, not to mention the complexities.

Politics and physics are themes that form big chunks of Copenhagen, with a character commenting early on about using plain language so that the science can be explained to others, using Bohr’s wife, Margrethe, as an example of this. It seemed to miss the mark on this count, filling itself with overly complicated scientific aspects that had me struggling to keep up at times, though perhaps that says more about me than the play itself. Though the action is set in 1941 in the middle of the Second World War, it proves as timely as ever, given current world events, with talk about atomic bombs and potentially destroying countries mirroring the horrors that fill the news this very day. There is an argument that this could make Copenhagen feel all the more resonant, increasing its impact given real-world events, though the opposite could also be said with its inability to provide pure escapism given these obvious and inevitable comparisons.

Michael Longhurst’s direction attempts to tell the story in the most impactful and thrilling way possible, but the limitations of the material make this tricky, with the realisation that you are watching three actors with nothing more than chairs on the stage with them for the best part of three hours. This does make the play feel all the more monotonous and static, though there are moments of brilliance to be found throughout, with some great visual moments dotted sporadically, and a surprising yet effective stage transition near the play’s climax.

The design aspects are among the strongest in this production of Copenhagen, with a striking set design that made my jaw drop upon first entering the theatre. Joanna Scotcher’s set is dark and mysterious but incredible in its execution, with a stunning use of lighting from Neil Austin and an inspired use of water surrounding the stage in a nod to the play’s location. Incredibly stylish visually, Copenhagen is a fine example of how to use the space at the mighty Hampstead Theatre, though it sets the bar so high that other elements of the production pale in comparison. The inclusion of two revolves in the small, circular stage allows Longhurst the opportunity for some interesting direction choices, with one sequence featuring Heisenberg circling the other two actors in an increasingly frantic way showing how captivating this play could be at its best, and why it was so disappointing other scenes failed to match this standard.

The big draw for this production was its star cast. Alex Kingston makes a welcome return to the stage as Margrethe, though is often sidelined in the action, literally taking a back seat while the two men form the bulk of the play. Kingston masters the art of patience; however, with an explosive performance towards the show’s climax, making me wish we had seen more of her throughout. Richard Schiff delivers what I can only call an understated delivery as Bohr. Though it risks lacking impact at times, it proves a worthy contrast to his two castmates' bigger interpretations, though he does threaten to get lost in the narrative. Though his track record showcases what a wonderful actor he is, Copenhagen doesn’t showcase him at his best, with far too many fumblings of his lines, throwing the timing off and reducing the necessary impact. A crucial line was also delivered in an unfortunate and incorrect way by Kingston, leaving the impression that the entire play had somehow been a bit too under-rehearsed, and perhaps was in need of more time before opening.

The three-strong cast was completed by Damien Molony, in what was undoubtedly the standout performance of the night. His characterisation of Heisenberg led to an urgent, enigmatic and charismatic performance, with Molony carrying the weight of the mystery surrounding his character and ensuring the action was all the more interesting whenever he was front and centre. Though his two fellow cast members are accomplished actors in their own fields with more years and credits behind them, it was Molony who came across as the most confident and assured, elevating the material and the play through his portrayal. Though Kingston and Schiff gave solid if not sensational turns, Molony shone at every opportunity.

I am led to believe that this production of Copenhagen is better than the performance I witnessed, perhaps due to more rehearsal time being needed. Whatever the reason, this performance didn’t quite land in the way I had expected, is as much a mystery as the reason Heisenberg came to Copenhagen. Though it has its moments, particularly in its design and one of the performances in particular, this production is in need of a bit of fine-tuning to make the dialogue all the more interesting and to pick up the pacing to stop it from feeling as slow as it did at times. Still an enjoyable albeit imperfect evening, it may not fully resolve its own uncertainties, but it remains an intriguing experience nonetheless.

Copenhagen plays at Hampstead Theatre until 2nd May. Tickets are extremely limited, but check https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2026/copenhagen/ for any returns.

Photos by Marc Brenner