Review: We Had A World (Hampstead Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

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Have you ever sat at home dealing with the latest round of family drama and thought to yourself, “This could make a good play”. Writer Joshua Harmon has gone one better than that and actually written it. Following a premiere run off-Broadway last year, We Had A World makes its UK debut at Hampstead Theatre, but would this memory play be as well received on the other side of the world and prove to be memorable in itself?

Joshua’s dying grandmother asks him to write a play about their family, making him promise to make it “as bitter and vitriolic as possible”. The result is We Had A World. Set over a 30-year period from 1988 - 2018, the play focuses on three generations of the family with Joshua, his mother Ellen and grandmother Renee. The play charts his New York childhood and his grandmother’s influences on him as a person and an artist while tracing the relationships and rifts within the family, with his feuding mother and aunt, and a dark side to his beloved grandmother he hadn’t seen.

We Had A World is quite clearly a very personal play, with Joshua Harmon bringing his heart and history to the stage. Though some moments have been dramatised, there is a searing honesty on display here that makes the more tense moments all the more uncomfortable and even harrowing to watch. Any family has its ups and downs, and the play follows suit with a tone that shifts suddenly - there are frequent moments of humour and smatterings of unconditional love found in families, even when you don’t particularly like the person, but these are balanced with some darker moments including cruelty amongst family members and the makings of scars people can carry with them for the rest of their lives due to family trauma.

Harmon has crafted a relatable and compelling production that speeds along through its 1 hour 45 minutes runtime. As a memory play, We Had A World focuses on fragments from his life, with pieces of the puzzle coming together in due course. At times, it feels as if crucial plot points are merely touched upon and could benefit from being expanded - this is most notable with any reference to his aunt, Susan. Providing a catalyst to some of the more harrowing moments in the play, we never quite learn exactly why the rift exists in this family. Though you could argue plays should always leave you wanting more, and there is something to be said about attempting to piece things together and draw your own conclusions, it felt as if a little bit more context wouldn’t have gone amiss.

It is an intimate story, and Josh Seymour reflects that in his production. With the audience surrounding three sides of the cosy downstairs studio space at Hampstead Theatre, barriers are broken down between audience and performer to give the sense that we are witnessing a very real family drama, even imposing on it. Having cast member Ryan Kopel on stage as the audience walks in reaffirms this imposing feeling, helping the story to connect with the audience. It is a fairly sparse stage, save for a couple of chairs and minimal props. However, one striking detail is a block of ice that sits on stage the whole time, gradually melting as the story unfolds. A clever metaphor that works on multiple levels, with the sense of time running out, the race to get to the truth of the story in We Had A World, and is referenced with repeated nods to climate change. In a relatively minimalist production, this focal point is a clever touch and one of the finest examples of Seymour’s direction.

Though more than three characters appear in the play, it is down to three remarkable actors to take on the story, each delivering outstanding performances. Ryan Kopel may be better known in recent years for his work on some big musicals, but he is every bit as impressive when tackling a play such as this. Holding the piece together through narration, his Joshua earns the love and sympathy of the audience through a performance that proves sensitive and commanding. Caught in the middle between his warring family, Kopel beautifully channels all of the complexities and nuances of Joshua’s nature to create an authentic and mesmerising characterisation.

Suzanne Bertish is a formidable force as Renee, demonstrating remarkable versatility in the differing aspects of her character. From a recognisable loveable grandmother to demons she is battling and even a monstrous streak that lurks beneath the surface, it is a character full of surprises, with the one consistent being Bertish’s exceptional portrayal. In between both generations is Joshua’s mother, Ellen, with Anna Francolini breathtakingly good as the frustrated woman who has to battle every title she holds in her family - from mother to daughter to sister. Each demands a different side of her, and each provokes a different response - this is where Francolini really comes into her own. One pivotal moment sees her demonstrate the anguish that comes with these conflicting demands, as her determination to cut someone off to protect herself battles the sense of duty. The inner turmoil is incredibly played out through Francolini’s performance, which in itself would have been a standout had it not been for the similarly stunning performances from her two co-stars.

Quite often, shows have one standout actor. Sometimes, there is more than one. We Had A World has three of them, which is made all the more impressive given that it makes up 100% of the cast. Wildly impressive acting heightens Joshua Harmon’s intimate and frequently relatable play. Though certain gaps in the story prevent this from reaching its full potential, the writing itself is strong enough to make that less of a problem than it might otherwise have been. Occasionally an uncomfortable watch, We Had A World is gripping throughout with moments of joy and sorrow that speak to the very nature of being human. In what is proving to be another strong year for programming at Hampstead Theatre, We Had A World is another winner for them, ensuring this memory play is one I won’t be forgetting any time soon.

We Had A World plays at Hampstead Theatre until 4th July. Tickets from https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2026/we-had-a-world/

Photos by Marc Brenner