REVIEW: HIM @ UNION THEATRE

🎭 Him

📍 Union Theatre, Old Union Arches, 229 Union Street, London, SE1 0LR

🗓 Wednesday 21st October 2026

⭐️ 4 Stars

TANGIBLE GRIEF AND BEAUTIFUL TURMOIL

Heading down The Cut towards the Union Theatre last night, I was walking into the unknown. I usually don't like to know anything about a piece of theatre I'm reviewing, and this was true of HIM, a brand-new piece of writing from Natalie Ekberg.

Walking into the auditorium, I was delighted that the creatives had chosen one of my favourite things, which is having a cast member already on stage and in character. There's something about this choice that instantly grabs my attention, and fills me with anticipation of what's to come. I could see last night that the character on stage was nervously preparing for something.

That nervous energy sets the stage for a story built entirely on an unconventional parenting agreement that has spent 16 years fracturing. Years ago, when Jane unexpectedly fell pregnant with her best friend Charlie, they struck a pact - Charlie and his partner, Osmond, would raise the boy, Kit, in the countryside, while Jane headed off to New York to build her fashion career. Now, on the cusp of her 40th birthday, Jane has returned to London, unable to bear the compromises she once agreed to. Her sudden re-emergence completely upends the domestic life Charlie and Osmond have built, unearthing buried resentments, split loyalties, and a deep-seated grief over what it actually means to be a parent.

Ekberg's writing is nuanced and really delves deep into the emotional impact of the unfolding realities. I would say that the reveal of the main twist in the tale lost a bit of impact because I'd guessed it long before it was exposed. I understood the need for the flashback scenes, but I somehow felt these scenes were slightly weaker than the main aspects of the story.

Thankfully, the cast is absolute magic. My standout performance came from Niall Sheehy as Charlie. The way he portrayed his inner turmoil was beautifully compelling. There were so many points during the evening where I just wanted to get up and give him a hug. The way he struggled with his split loyalties between his husband and his best friend, as well as keeping a huge secret from his son, was just heartbreaking. Sheehy manages to convey so much with just a look - even when he's silent, you can see the crushing weight of decades of compromises physically wearing him down.

Equally impressive is Alan P. Jones, who portrayed the neurodivergence of Kit with sublime realism, never making him into a caricature. He anchors the teenage stakes of the play beautifully. Meanwhile, Hannah Chalmers gives a stellar performance as Jane, showing fantastic growth in the character over the decades. I found Jane in her twenties to be a bit annoying, whereas Jane in her forties was not only much more grown up, but more grounded. The grief she displays by being an estranged mother is tangible.

Rounding off the fantastic cast are Gary Tushaw as Osmond, and Julie Wood as Nana. Osmond displays some really dislikable traits, especially the way he seems to control his husband, but the way he reacts to revelations is understandable and I really cared about him by the end. Wood’s Nana is the calming and reasonable voice throughout, grounding the piece whenever the tension threatens to boil over.

The Union Theatre, in my experience, is notorious for being a difficult space to manage lighting and sound. Here however, Janis Hamm’s lighting is subtle, but works well to enhance the emotions, and the company had enough projection in their performance that I didn't miss anything. Simon Fielding’s direction filled the stage wonderfully, allowing us to follow the action, and never confusing us with where or when we are.

HIM grabs you from the very beginning and just gets better and better as the evening goes on. It packs so many vital conversations in, but never overwhelms. There are moments of humour littered throughout to break through the highly emotional story, making it a genuinely beautiful night at the theatre.

On my way to and from the theatre last night, I passed the iconic Old Vic. Having seen the current production playing there, I can confidently say that if I was given a choice between the two, then HIM would win every time.

Performances continue until Friday 30th October. CLICK HERE to book tickets.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Him was gifted by KWPR, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST:

Hannah Chalmers as Jane; Niall Sheehy as Charlie; Gary Tushaw as Osmond; Alan P. Jones as Kit; Julie Wood as Nana

CREATIVES:

Writer - Natalie Ekberg; Director - Simon Fielding; Sound and Lighting Designer - Janis Hamm; Producer - Oakhill Europe Ltd

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 30 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Complex family trauma; Adult relationship strain; Grief over parental identity; Unresolved resentments; Mature language and tones

AGE GUIDELINE:

18+

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