Hampstead Theatre

How time flies; back in 1994 I worked at Hampstead Theatre as a lowly Assistant Stage Manager on Dead Funny in their wonderfully intimate, but let’s be honest, glorified shed of a theatre.

Despite the ageing building, the theatre built a reputation for quality shows, a large number heading down the Jubilee line into the West End. That the building ever survived 40 years use is a miracle, a bigger miracle is that Hampstead manage to build a new £15million venue that manages to not only retain the intimacy of the original but also provides a much more flexible space.

Add in a vast improvement in customer facilities and it’s not surprising it has proved an equally popular venue since its reopening in 2003.

Now seven years on from its reopening and the theatre is entering a new era as Edward Hall takes the helm as Artistic Director.

Hall’s opening production in his inaugural season sees the resurgence of the thriller continue. While Ghost Stories and Deathtrap continue to send chills down West End audience’s spines, Hampstead turns their attention to Enlightenment, the World Premiere of Shelagh Stephenson’s chilling mystery about a young man who disappears on a backpacking holiday leaving his distraught parents in a state of turmoil.

The show began previews last week and a review will feature here next week. In the mean time a trailer to wet your appetite…