It’s taken me a while to review this show not for any one reason but just because we went to Winchester the day afterwards for Passover and then it was the start of term and it’s rushed by ever since. I booked this ages ago and didn’t really think through the logistics of being out late on a work night on the other side of North London with a slightly broken teen. But it turned out that VK got a better offer – a sleepover with Bunny – and abandoned us anyway. Which made the travelling for Roo and I a lot easier.
So easy in fact that we were at Swiss Cottage around an hour and a half before the show started. We went a bit of a long way round – Vic line to Green Park and then Jubilee back up – but it was quick. Nathan was coming directly from the office so we found a Subway on Finchley Road for dinner and hung out there as long as we could.
Handily, it had a way of finding your teenager if they start blending into the background:
By the way, I already mentioned how beautiful Swiss Cottage tube was in The LWAT Best-Dressed List so I won’t harp on about it again…but it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the area.
And the Hampstead Theatre is also striking looking – it’s very modern, with a giant metal capsule in the middle that forms the audience seating:
There were two main reasons for booking this show and neither was enough to tempt VK from her sleepover. But the first reason is that Roo is doing A Level Physics and so a play about two physicists seemed like just his kind of thing. The second reason was that Roo is on a long term mission to see Dr Who actors in theatre and this one starred Alex Kingston, AKA River Song. So he could add to his total, having seen Ncuti Gatwa in “Born With Teeth” and David Tennant in “Macbeth” ….as I mentioned in the “Oh Mary!” review, he may soon be able to add Catherine Tate to that list. But I’m waiting read the reviews before booking….
The draw for me was seeing Richard Schiff, who was just marvellous as Toby in “The West Wing”. When Trump took over and we were watching in horror at the comms coming out of the White House, our constant refrain was “Toby would never have let that go out”. So the combination of two great names was enough to make me book as soon as I could, even if I was pretty sure that it would be a bit highbrow for my tastes. At least Roo would be able to follow the Physics chat.
The set was very simple – a round stage with a revolving part on the outside, and trays of water on either side. There was no curtain and the actors entered or left the stage by an invisible door at the back. I’m not sure whether this is the permanent stage set up but it was very striking with the lightbulbs on warped mirrors forming a backdrop as well as changing to reflect the mood.
I was right about it being quite highbrow – this is a distinct shift of mood compared to the frivolous musicals we often watch. The whole show is a three-hander – Richard Schiff is physicist Niels Bohr, Alex Kingston is his wife Margrethe and Damien Molony is Bohr’s protégé Heisenberg. The plot revolves around Heisenberg’s visit to Bohr in 1941, when Denmark was under occupation and Germans wouldn’t necessarily have been welcomed in Copenhagen.
I feel like we’ve watched a fair few WW2 era shows lately so I feel relatively well versed in the era and, of course, the rising tide of IRL attacks against Jews so close to where we were sitting added an extra edge to the tension. In the opening scene, Heisenberg attempts to defuse that tension with some light-hearted queries about leisure activities – forgetting that sailing in wartime was a risky business and skiing would require international travel. “Perhaps Margrethe would be so kind as to sew a yellow star onto my ski jacket” Bohr observes dryly. There are moments of humour like this but it’s of the socially awkward kind, which does nothing to relax either the characters or the audience. As the key question is posed – “Why did Heisenberg come to Copenhagen?” – the background is filled in. As colleagues in the 1920s, the two scientists delved deep into the inner workings of the atom and in 1941 they both found themselves wondering whether their discoveries could put an end to the war or possibly escalate it to mutual destruction.
If that sounds intense, it is a bit. The play is 2 hours 45 including an interval and there is quite complex dialogue all the way through. It requires a bit of concentration, which is why I probably shouldn’t have booked it for a day when I was working and had to work the next day. It wasn’t the most chill theatrical experience ever.
But it was enjoyable – the three actors spark off each other and there is a sense of deep relational foundations rocked by a new mistrust. The narrative flits between the main setting of 1941, their shared past in the 20s and 30s and occasionally forward to their next meeting in 1947. It covers issues of national identity and patriotism, moral dilemmas and yes, a fair dollop of antisemitism. The questions asked felt very relevant, given the conflict between Iran and America…the potential for one side of a war to wipe out the other was not just a theoretical posed by actors. It was and is a very real worry. Physics did indeed change the course of WW2 but that put a burden on the shoulders of just a few individuals, who were the only ones with the knowledge to create the nuclear reaction….so that meant that they also had to make the decision on whether to use and share that knowledge with either the Allies or the Nazis. Bohr and Heisenberg stood on either side of that decision making process in 1941 and the play feeds off that nervous energy throughout.
Along the way, we also learn more of Bohr’s backstory, including the drowning death of his son Christian – which is where the water off the sides of the stage comes into its own. Having been to Copenhagen, it is very much built around the water and there is a sense that the sea is a constant reminder for the Bohrs of what they lost. And the physical trays of water in the space, along with occasional dry ice, represent that reminder that must always be on the edge of their minds. Feeling responsible for the loss of one life while contemplating being responsible for so many others places a gravity on Bohr that Richard Schiff is well placed to play. His “West Wing” character always had the weight of the world on his shoulders and there’s a similar feel here.
Damien Molony, as the junior partner in the relationship, has a different feel. He is more naïve, energetic and optimistic and seems almost surprised to have such a responsibility thrust upon him. His well-meaning questions about skiing and sailing illustrate his ignorance of what life is like for Jewish people under occupation and he enjoys a certain amount of privilege by working for the Reich. His dialogue is very technical and rapid – chatting to him briefly afterwards, he said that he never really studied Physics so had to learn all of the detail from the script and sound convincing saying it. Reuben was certainly convinced.
Alex Kingston is really the warmth and heart of the show. Cutting through some of the social awkwardness, she shows an obvious affection for the nervy Heisenberg while also being extremely guarded. It’s a delicate balance and she gives a very nuanced performance. We did get to meet her briefly afterwards as well, which greatly delighted Roo, and she signed our programme. One word on that though – the Hampstead theatre doesn’t appear to have a Stage Door and the actors come out through the foyer. We only learnt that after a very chilly 20 minutes staring at a door that turned out to be a bin cupboard. Don’t be like us.
So, an intense and thought provoking piece which sticks with you long after you leave. There is a quite literally brilliant moment of lighting design towards the end which shifts the tone and makes for a memorable ending. I won’t say too much more than that for fear of spoilers but it was dazzling in many ways. No, not a Mincemeat-style glitzy finale but a spiritual cousin maybe.
It helps to be really interested in Physics, as Roo is and Nathan is to a lesser extent. But an interest in philosophy (another one of Roo’s A-Levels) and history will also help you to keep pace with what’s going on. I definitely didn’t follow all the technical detail but I kept up with the plot apart from that, which was an achievement in the middle of a busy week. Roo thought it was brilliant, which is good seeing as he’s the one I booked it for. Next week we’re going to see “Cabaret” again for VK’s birthday, so more antisemitism on the cards… maybe we’ll also go see something a touch lighter at some point….
“Copenhagen” is on until 2nd May – for tickets and more info, click here
