Review: The Assembled Parties (Hampstead Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It's been an impressive year for Hampstead Theatre, with its strongest programming since I started attending for reviews. Among the highlights for me were Apex Predator and Letters From Max, both directed by Blanche McIntyre. Returning for her third play in the same space this year, would The Assembled Parties prove just as strong, or would it end up being a bit of a turkey?

Set over two Christmases, it is centred in former movie star Julie Bascov’s palatial apartment on Central Park West. Beginning in 1980 as she hosts Christmas Day with her husband, his sister and her family, their son and his best friend. As plans for the future are discussed, the action moves forward 20 years in a Christmas Day that feels very different to the first we saw, as events that have taken place in the decades since begin to unravel.

Written by Richard Greenberg, The Assembled Parties was a sensation when it played on Broadway in 2013, and now makes its London debut, tragically mere months after his passing. The play is a fitting testament to his enduring legacy, perfectly embodying his skill as a writer. Witty writing features regular laugh-out-loud moments as the Jewish family, who insist on having a Christmas tree, lend themselves to moments that may seem ridiculous but are also utterly recognisable. 

Greenberg masterfully drops nuggets of information, but never explicitly states what is happening or, indeed, what has happened. As Act Two features a pivotal time jump 20 years later, we never find out in detail what happened to the characters who are no longer present. Instead, we are left to put the pieces together from the limited information we have. There is a subtlety to be found as seeds are sown in Act One, such as the nature of the relationship between Julie’s son Scott and his best friend Jeff. Without spoiling anything, as the characters talk about the fate of one of them in Act Two, you are left wondering if they are speaking the truth or are just believing a mistruth they have told - a theme that recurs with the importance of the family ruby necklace.

It is this subtlety that allowed me to connect with the story and fall in love with it. There is a beauty to Greenberg’s writing that speaks to the mortality and temporary nature of it, something that feels even more poignant given his own passing. Early in the play, Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt) explains her seemingly unbothered approach to the imminent passing of a family member to her young guest. This seemingly inconsequential line of dialogue perhaps best represents the play, coming to life in Act Two, when the missing family members are mentioned only as an afterthought after the time jump. There is a real emotive quality to the sight of the decimated family in Act Two as they attempt a Christmas markedly different from the grand one we had already witnessed.

Greenberg’s writing is beautifully realised with Blanche McIntyre’s once again inspired direction. McIntyre has a real knack for landing the moment with precise execution, and The Assembled Parties is no exception. The detail in the subtleties present, such as a casual touching of the hands or a dynamic between characters that can feel on a knife-edge at times, are all exquisitely realised. Fantastic choices accentuate the comedy of the piece, while never neglecting the emotive aspect that lies beneath the surface. With the play dealing with multiple generations of a family, the secrets and lies they tell each other and the way they attempt to make sense of their past, or even gloss over it, there is a beauty in the pacing that allows the action to breathe, feeling as real as you would hope.

James Cotterill’s design impresses, showcasing Julie’s apartment in two contrasting ways. With Act One focusing on elements of three rooms, all connected by a looming Christmas Tree and a fantastic use of a revolve, a massive transformation in Act Two shows a very different side to it all, with a great attention to detail resulting in one of the more striking sets I have ever seen on this stage.

With eight characters to meet in The Assembled Parties, Act One allows only for snapshots of who they are as people. It’s only in Act Two when we get to spend more time with the four remaining characters that we get a better sense of them, making sense of some of their choices and plot points from Act One. At the heart of it all are sisters-in-law Julie and Faye, played by Jennifer Westfeldt and Tracy-Ann Oberman respectively. Westfeldt holds the action together as Julie, delivering a sweet and often understated performance that attempts to mask her own sorrow, as apparent as the play progresses. It is a fascinating and powerful portrayal - as Julie is the glue in this show, so too is Westfeldt in her faultless portrayal.

Alexander Marks may have a relatively minor role in Act One, but truly comes into his own in Act Two, bringing an interesting dynamic and landing some of the more memorable moments of the play, including one of the biggest laughs with his final revelation. As Jeff, Sam Marks provides a catalyst to the action, meeting the family for the first time in 1980 and becoming a close family friend. As Julie refers to him as someone she will love in the future, act Two more than proves that prophecy true, with Marks delivering a loveable performance. Elsewhere, Julia Kass provides a comic highlight as Shelley in a comparatively small but still a standout performance.

The star turn of the play undoubtedly belongs to Tracy-Ann Oberman as Faye. With her larger-than-life personality, her character traits though exaggerated, felt instantly recognisable. With a brilliant ability for comic timing, Oberman is at her best as she fills the play with cutting remarks and an unfiltered nature that allows some of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments of the play. The character battles a more sombre nature in Act Two, though never losing her essence and sharpness, despite her proclamations that suggest otherwise. Though it may be a silly moment in the grand scheme of things, her decorating of the Christmas tree was my personal highlight of the piece, and showcased Oberman’s abilities and strengths as a performer.

Hampstead Theatre’s impressive year continues with The Assembled Parties, as does Blanche McIntyre’s winning streak. A fantastic story with writing full of richness and subtlety led to a wonderful watch, and one that had me feeling a wide range of emotions. With two powerhouse performances at the heart of it, the result is a play that represents the fragility and fleeting nature of life, the importance of family and the tragedy of loss we all must deal with in our own lives in a production that feels especially poignant but no less pivotal.

The Assembled Parties plays at Hampstead Theatre until 22nd November. Tickets from https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2025/the-assembled-parties/ 

Photos by Helen Murray