Written by Bronagh for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own

Content warnings: references to sex and references to death and illness, depictions of violence and guns, strong language, sudden loud noises including gun shots, flashing lights, haze and use of herbal cigarettes

What could possibly go wrong when you’re cast opposite an ex lover? That’s the question at the centre of Sarah Ruhl’s comedy, showing twelve years after its original New York run. Stage Kiss is a play within a play, where the lines between fact and fiction become increasingly blurred and old feelings begin to resurface.

The show begins with the house lights still up and a bare stage acting as an audition room. In rushes She (Myanna Buring), an unnamed actress returning to the theatre. Despite a chaotic audition involving awkward kisses and the contents of her handbag scattered across the floor, she lands the role. Soon after arrives He (Patrick Kennedy), her former lover and now her co-star in The Last Kiss. Unsurprisingly, The Last Kiss proves to be a disaster, as backstage the pair reignite their romance despite both having partners elsewhere. This eventually leads them into another equally doomed production involving an IRA gunman and a prostitute. Yes, really.

Stage Kiss had some entertaining moments and strong performances; however, it left me feeling underwhelmed overall. It’s an easy watch and never asks too much of the audience, but that also means there’s very little emotional or psychological depth, making it difficult to feel fully invested in either the characters or the plot. The chemistry between the actors was definitely there, and some moments genuinely made me smile, and judging by the audience reactions around me, it clearly landed very well for many people in attendance.

With that in mind, I found the whole thing a bit too long. The production seems to circle the same ideas, jokes and gags without really developing them further. Personally, I think we could have reached the same conclusion in around sixty minutes, eighty if we’re being generous. Instead, certain scenes dragged, and the pacing gradually began to work against what could have been a much sharper and more effective comedy. At times, Stage Kiss leans into romantic comedy, then does a 360 to satire, never fully committing to either. As a result, it ends up floating somewhere in between, which weakens much of the emotional impact and leaves the characters feeling somewhat underdeveloped.

This isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy Stage Kiss entirely. I can absolutely understand why it landed with other audience members I can appreciate good, silly fun on stage when it’s done well. A play within a play structure is almost always entertaining to watch unfold, and there’s enough charm here to keep the evening enjoyable, even if it never fully came together for me.

Robert Innes Hopkins’ set design was particularly impressive. The transitions from a glamorous 1930s apartment to his cluttered man cave were genuinely fun to watch, as was the movement between onstage performance and backstage. In terms of performances, there’s very little to fault across the cast. Toto Bruin’s turn as the angry teenager was especially amusing, a more realistic glimmer amongst the chaos.

Ultimately, Stage Kiss is a perfectly enjoyable evening at the theatre with great performances, wonderful staging and humour to mostly keep audiences entertained. Despite its interesting premise, it never quite digs deeply enough into its characters or ideas to leave a lasting impression. While the production clearly found an appreciative audience on the night I attended, I left wishing it had been shorter, sharper and a little more emotional. Fun in parts, but ultimately not one that will stay with me for very long.

Stage Kiss plays at Hampstead Theatre until 13th June 2026.

★ ★ ★

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