Review: Firewing (Hampstead Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️

In recent years, Hampstead has become one of the theatres I most look forward to attending, with its welcoming atmosphere and diverse programming always leading to an exciting and enjoyable evening. An example of their eclectic programming can be found in the productions running in their two spaces concurrently. While more noise is made for their main space upstairs, where a star-studded revival of Copenhagen is still enjoying a sell-out run, the studio space downstairs is currently home to a world premiere, shining a light on new writing. It is this commitment to honouring the classics at the same time as showcasing new work that makes Hampstead such a consistent and admirable theatre, but would Firewing be another picture-perfect success, or would it fail to capture the moment?

Set in a dilapidated cabin by a lake, deep in the English countryside, Firewing centres around celebrated wildlife photographer Tim welcoming new apprentice Marcus to the fold. After multiple failures with past candidates, Tim has lost his patience, immediately chastising Marcus for being thick and the “second worst” he has ever had. Though Marcus is comparatively inexperienced, Tim realises there’s something different about him and begins to trust him, teaching him his methods, revealing the story of the elusive “Firewing” - a bird that was captured once, and never seen again, much to the doubts of many. As they attempt the almost impossible task of capturing it again, both have secrets yet to be revealed that may yet shine a light on their motives for being there.

Written by David Pearson, Firewing is a mostly sweet story that focuses on the unlikely relationship between two vastly different characters with just one thing in common. It is an intimate story, playing perfectly into the comparatively small downstairs space at Hampstead Theatre, more claustrophobic than ever before as an entire cabin fills most of the space. Moments of humour are peppered throughout, with the clashes in their characters leading to an “odd couple” scenario. Underpinning all of this is the intrigue as glimpses of why each of the two men is in this situation unfold, encouraging the audience to put the pieces together.

The description for Firewing includes mention of “what we see, what we choose to capture, and what we leave out of frame”, - and that represents the biggest problem with Firewing. Whether it is a deliberate choice or not, the writing feels underdeveloped throughout as it struggles to find focus. Aspects of both characters and the story itself are never fully explained - allusions to who may have beaten Marcus to the title of Tim’s worst apprentice left me expecting a payoff at some point, but these are just thrown away with no regard. It is Marcus, however, who suffers the most, with an underwritten character who seems to jump around with different motives, leaving us never sure what is real and what isn’t. A complete U-turn in his character feels deeply unnatural and is clumsily handled, while inconsistencies with his relationship with his father prove incredibly confusing. The two final scenes completely contradict each other, suggesting this is either a massive and inexplicable oversight, or that Marcus is still lying - something he would have no reason to do, and ends the show on an underwhelming note. As for the significance of the titular Firewing, it almost feels like an afterthought - casually mentioned midway through the play, but never quite tying anything together and coming across more random as opposed to essential.

Alice Hamilton’s direction keeps the play interesting, with its 85-minute runtime always capturing attention, almost papering over the cracks where gaps in the story appear. It is a testament to her direction how pacey the whole production feels, with one notable exception. There are a handful of scene transitions throughout the play, often to represent a time jump. Though the cast members need to get changed, these feel incredibly slow and kill the momentum completely, with the audience faced with a static stage - given how pacey the rest of the play is, the stark contrast is even more noticeable. There is also the sense that sightlines have not been thought out well enough, given the space of the theatre, with photographs projected on the right-hand wall, only visible to half of the audience. If you are sitting on the right-hand side, you will not get as much out of the production as anyone sitting on the left - this is something that really should have been considered when directing this production, with an obvious fix to move the projections to a more central location.

Set design by Good Teeth meticulously recreates the dilapidated cabin on the downstairs stage, surrounded by water in a coincidental comparison to the staging of Copenhagen upstairs. The design of the cabin is impressive enough, aside from the aforementioned flaw regarding sightlines. A strong use of lighting from Jamie Platt and sound from Harry Blake makes Firewing a solid enough production design-wise, helping to elevate this production from some of the weaknesses in the writing.

Gerard Hogan is a commanding presence as Tim. His frustration and weariness of his previous apprentices make him a formidable figure to begin with, and one who may not appear too likeable initially. There is subtlety in Hogan’s choices, suggesting there is more to Tim than meets the eye. His ultimate revelation brings a slight air of poignancy, though Hogan feels limited by the gaps in the writing. Charlie Beck is the polar opposite of the younger Marcus, bringing a cheeky and charismatic approach to the young apprentice. The disappointment is that the crucial changes in Marcus’ character are never seen on stage, meaning Beck doesn’t have the opportunity to tap into the elements of his character to make it as well-rounded as it should be, through no fault of his own. The sparring between the two men shows an exciting dynamic, though it lacks the necessary warmth by the climax.

Firewing is brimming with potential, which makes the end result all the more disappointing. Though it has its moments and is far from being a bad play, it doesn’t feel like it is at its best just yet. The play has a habit of planting seeds early on in the belief that an almighty payoff is on the way - this gave me good faith to invest in the characters and the story, ready for it all to feel worthwhile. Unfortunately, that payoff does not come. While there is a sweetness in the simplicity of the story, connections are never fleshed out, and the focus is just not there, ironically enough, with confusing and conflicting characters lacking any sort of cohesive nature in their narrative. The result is a blurry representation of what should be a solid story, and though it is still an enjoyable watch, it is one that may have benefited from more time in a dark room and further development before being exposed.

Firewing plays at Hampstead Theatre until 23rd May. Tickets from https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2026/firewing/

Photos by Pamela Raith