WE HAD A WORLD
Hampstead Theatre
★★★★★
“complex and compelling”
Award winning playwright Joshua Harmon’s UK debut of ‘We Had A World’ resonates with bite and balance, cutting straight to the heart of tangled family dynamics. Harmon’s witty, disarming script skilfully melds fearless honesty with telling hesitations, and backed by striking design and a superb cast, this is one not to miss.
Drawn from Harmon’s own experience, Joshua’s grandmother is dying. Memories resurface – both tender and painful – revealing the flawed legacy of a complicated matriarch. How much are Joshua and his mother willing to salvage before they have to say goodbye?
Harmon’s superb constructivist script forces us to wrangle reality from three very different perspectives. It’s full of meta moments that keep you guessing – the self-aware language and script breaking characters are particularly strong. Bursts of naturalism are equally satisfying, especially when the usually forthright Ellen can’t find the words. The literal re-writes – offering some of the redemption characters missed in real life – land with rich complexity. It’s not perfect – the climate change angle sits a little loosely, and the richness of New York may drift past UK audiences – but overall it’s a tenderly crafted warts and all portrait that resonates deeply.
The award winning Josh Seymour’s direction elevates the piece at every turn. The art gallery setting – complete with self aware installation – frames the text with real intelligence. The pacing and character work sharpen the tension, expertly ebbing and flowing as it might in real life. Ellen’s struggle to articulate herself around her mother, contrasted with Renee’s affected fluency, is especially revealing. The audience holds it breath at several points. Ingrid Mackinnon’s constantly shifting movement adds a striking visual layer, playing smartly with love triangle geometry and emotional imbalance. The one moment they finally align – right before everything blows up – is a brilliant touch.
Sarah Beaton’s gallery design is strikingly simple yet deeply attuned to the text, teasing out the shade of green Renee mentions and realising the climate crisis through a perfectly judged modern art installation. Joshua Gadsby’s lighting subtly frames it all, making the space feel like a living canvas. Lex Kosanke’s sparse sound design gives moments real sparkle while wisely leaving the vivid language to carry the rest. Costumes extend the art world logic: Renee and Joshua’s complementary colours underline their mirrored yet opposing personalities, while Ellen’s more black-and-white palette speaks volumes.
The superb three hander cast delivers a masterclass in complexity and subtext, revealing their humanity in beautifully grey tones. Anna Francolini’s Ellen is an undeniable standout, her face revealing everything her precisely managed words cannot. Suzanne Bertish’s Renee is the epitome of a layered matriarch, gripping life so tightly she risks crushing those around her. Ryan Kopel nails Joshua’s journey, gradually adding layers of clarity that bring his impossible situation into focus, and navigating the fallout with real finesse.
‘We Had A World’ is complex and compelling – a masterfully executed piece. Catch it while you can.
WE HAD A WORLD
Hampstead Theatre
Reviewed on 8th June 2026
by Hannah Bothelton
Photography by Marc Brenner
