Copenhagen at Hampstead Theatre Review
Image: Marc Brenner
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review. All views are our own
Content warnings: themes of war, antisemitism, death including the death of a child Technical: sudden loud noises, flashing lights, haze and smoke
“Some questions remain long after their owners have died.”
This quote perhaps best encapsulates Copenhagen, written by Michael Frayn.
This revival of the 90’s play seeks to answer the not so simple question of what did Werner Heisenberg and Nils Bohr discuss in Copenhagen in 1941? Michael Frayn is most famous for his farcical writings, including Noises Off which also had a revival two years ago. Copenhagen is an antithesis to his most famous play as it is serious, profound and highly analytical of not only politics but the morals of life itself. Without many spoilers this play focuses on the mysterious discussion between Bohr and Heisenberg in 1942 and its aftermath, but through the outlook of the afterlife where both men and Margrethe Bohr meet once again.
It is a play that focuses on sensitive and powerful issues, including the death of a child, the reality of creating atomic weaponry and the impact of war and starvation. An additional challenge is this is a play based on real individuals but Frayn’s writing is nuanced, realistic and a deeply profound exploration of these issues. He also manages to present the very difficult concepts of theoretical physics and distill them in form which makes it accessible for the majority of the audience to understand.
This play approaches all of these topics in a stylised version of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Therefore we explore the same conversation and its potential impact in many different forms while simultaneously exploring the complex father-son relationship between Bohr and Heisenberg. This is a beautiful exploration of the uncertainty principle to watch unfold on stage.
As beautiful as the script unfolds under Director Michael Longhurst’s leadership, much of the emotional resonance of this story would be lost without the fantastic cast. Alex Kingston as Margrethe Bohr is magnificent and provides a grounded voice of reason throughout as well as an excellent foil to the men’s tangled relationship. Damien Molony is a credible tortured Heisenberg who is constantly shifting between tormented scientist and a broken father. He holds all his cards close to his chest and his mecurial performance leads to a perfect rendition of uncertainty in his true actions and motivations. Richard Schiff as Bohr is both father, confessor “pope” and rival to Heisenberg. He is in turns fragile, angry and warm hearted in a beautifully nuanced performance. The cast have beautiful and tender chemistry together throughout.
Joanna Scotcher’s set is stunning and a powerful visual allegory. A navy disk surrounded by deep water, the set invokes both the inside of a nuclear reactor, the fields of Asphodel and the inside of an atom itself. This along with the variety of lighting effects by Neil Austin and sound design by Richard Hammarton, leads to an ethereal and deeply tense atmosphere throughout.
The pacing of the show is long, running at two hours and forty five minutes including an interval. Both acts are over an hour each. While this gives time and space to deeply delve into the different scientific principles and dark recollections of the past, at times this slows the pace to which it feels harder to retain the deluge of information presented.
Overall this is a deeply poignant play that feels powerfully resonate in our modern political turmoil, where the threat of nuclear warfare unfortunately does not feel as far away as it did in the 90s. If you enjoy scientific exploration, brilliant actors and a stimulating night at the theatre then this is the show for you.
Running until 2nd May 2026 at the Hampstead Theatre
★★★
