“A doctor once told me that we were the bravest people he knew. I said “Why, that’s absurd, my brother and I are terrified of our shadows.” And he said, “Yes, I know, and that’s why I admire your courage so much…”

★★★★ ‘Sam Yates’ staging uses modern theatrical wizardry to restore the mould-breaking power of Tennessee Williams’ most daring play’ Evening Standard

★★★★ ‘A profound delight. Funny and absurd.’  Independent

★★★★ ‘Yates’s fine, intelligent production… celebrates the radical streak in Williams’s work’ Financial Times

★★★★ ‘Kate O’Flynn and Zubin Varla are mesmerizing’ Evening Standard

‘Zubin Varla and Kate O’Flynn deliver impressively taut performances’ The Times

‘Sam Yates’ impressively drilled production milks every drop of theatricality from Rosanna Vize’s design’ Daily Mail

‘Bracing… clever theatricality and some terrific song and dance numbers.’ The Guardian

‘A real discovery in a very rare outing of this Tennessee Williams play.’ Daily Express

‘A heartfelt and haunting celebration of the theatrical. Stunning and profound.’ Exeunt Magazine

Early booking is advised. This production has limited seating capacity due to social distancing measures.

Fellow actors, and brother and sister, Felice and Clare have been on tour far too long. Abandoned by the rest of their troupe, all that’s left is each other, an empty stage and an expectant audience. They will have to adapt accordingly and perform the only appropriate work in their repertoire: The Two Character Play…

Tennessee Williams, one of the world’s great dramatists, referred to his innovative psychological thriller, as ‘my most beautiful play since A Streetcar Named Desire, the very heart of my life’. The Two Character Play returns to Hampstead for the first time since receiving its World Premiere here in 1967.

Kate O’Flynn plays Clare. Her theatre credits include an Olivier Award nomination for The Glass Menagerie (West End), Blank (Donmar) and A Taste of Honey (National Theatre).

Zubin Varla plays Felice. His theatre credits include an Olivier Award nomination for Fun Home (Young Vic), Equus (West End) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe).

Sam Yates makes a highly anticipated return to Hampstead following his Olivier-nominated production, The Phlebotomist. His West End credits include Glengarry Glen Ross starring Christian Slater and The Starry Messenger starring Matthew Broderick.

The Two Character Play is presented by special arrangement with The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.