Posted on 5 February 2026.
Posted in: Announcements
Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen will receive its first London staging since its 1998 premiere in a new production directed by Michael Longhurst. Opening at Hampstead Theatre in March, the modern classic will star Alex Kingston (Doctor Who, ER) and Richard Schiff (The West Wing, The Good Doctor) with further casting to be announced.
Inspired by real events that have fascinated historians for decades the multi-award winning Copenhagen centres on a meeting between two great physicists, Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. In 1941, at the height of the Second World War, Heisenberg made a strange trip to Copenhagen to see his former mentor and friend, Bohr. Their brilliant collaboration in the 1920s had begun to lay bare the mysteries at the heart of the atom, but with Denmark now under German occupation this meeting was fraught with danger and embarrassment – and Heisenberg was burdened with a terrible secret.
Michael Frayn’s plays Alphabetical Order, Clouds, Now You Know and Matchbox Theatre all premiered at Hampstead Theatre. His other plays include Noises Off, Democracy and Afterlife.
Following Copenhagen is Sarah Ruhl’s brilliant romantic comedy, Stage Kiss, which makes its UK premiere on Hampstead’s Main Stage in a new production directed by Blanche McIntyre. The production opens in May and marks Blanche McIntyre’s second collaboration with the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist following the success of Letters From Max in Hampstead Downstairs in last year.
Stage Kiss begins with a sweeping melodrama. It’s 1930 New York, Ada is dying and her true love has journeyed from Europe for one final embrace. The estranged lovers are reunited, convinced their love will conquer all obstacles. Except, it’s 2011 New Haven, and these are rehearsals for The Last Kiss, a long-forgotten play. And there’s a plot twist. Art imitates life, and our two leading actors have an explosive romantic history of their own. As opening night approaches, a passionate affair may be waiting in the wings…
Greg Ripley-Duggan, Producer and Chief Executive of Hampstead Theatre, said: “Hampstead Theatre owes an enormous amount to Michael Frayn: he served on our Board for an amazing 25 years, and was the shrewd and perspicacious leader of the Foundation that created the astonishing building we now occupy. Over the years we’ve premiered four of his works and revived two more, and I’m delighted to have persuaded Michael Longhurst to create a fresh production of Copenhagen, last produced in London in 1998. I’m also overjoyed to be bringing Blanche McIntyre and Sarah Ruhl back together again at Hampstead, this time for Sarah’s brilliant comedy, Stage Kiss. It’s hard to imagine a play more different from Letters from Max, but if this production is even half as good as that one we’re in for a treat!”
These new productions join the other previously announced world premieres of Bird Grove by Alexi Kaye Campbell and Springwood by Richard Nelson on the Main Stage and R.O.I. (Return on Investment) by Aaron Loeb, Firewing by David Pearson and the UK premiere of We Had A World by Joshua Harmon in Hampstead Downstairs. Later this year, Hampstead will also produce the UK premiere of Kimberly Akimbo, the multi-Tony Award-winning musical by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori.
Alongside these productions is the appointment of playwright Juliet Gilkes Romero as Writer in Residence for Hampstead’s ENGAGE programme for adults in Camden. In an exciting move to bring Camden residents, community organisations and professional artists together to explore creativity as a means of connection, Juliet has been commissioned to create a new full-length play in collaboration with Camden Carers, Camden Disability Action and The Winch. Directed by Hampstead’s Director of Participation, Jennifer Davis, the large-scale production will feature a cast of community and professional actors and will be performed on Hampstead Theatre’s Main Stage in July.
Priority Booking for Copenhagen and Stage Kiss opens for Patrons on Thursday 5 February, for Friends Plus on Friday 6 February and for Friends and Young Friends on Monday 9 February. Public Booking opens on Tuesday 10 February at 10.30am.