Dr Freud Will See You Now, Mrs Hitler is a dark comedy play by prestigious writing duo Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. The story takes place in an alternate history, exploring what might have happened had a young Adolf Hitler met trailblazing psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
With her child suffering from bedwetting and nightmares, Klara Hitler (Nesba Crenshaw, who also plays Martha Freud) takes him to Vienna for a consultation with Dr Freud (Jonathan Tafler). Years later, in the early 1900s, Adolf Hitler (Sam Mac) is still plagued by nightmares and once again seeks out Dr Freud in Vienna. The two men develop a strange relationship, acting at once as patient/doctor, artist/patron, employee/employer, and – in typical Freudian fashion – son/father-figure. Owing to the lack of clearly defined boundaries, along with Hitler’s trauma, anger, and antisemitism, the relationship is strained and often volatile, while leading to darkly comedic situations.
Jonathan Tafler plays Dr Freud with a calm self-assurance that borders on arrogance; thanks to Tafler’s precise and measured performance, it is entirely believable that the character would be able to miss the warning signs of the danger posed by Hitler. Tafler’s Dr Freud also has a sharp, deadpan wit, which – in tandem with a handful of more sensitive and empathetic moments – goes a long way to make the character feel likeable. Ruby Ablett is another standout as Dr Freud’s bubbly 13-year-old daughter Anna.
Sam Mac plays Adolf Hitler. Mac portrays Hitler earnestly, full of ambition and hope but clouded by a concerning amount of resentment, anger, and prejudice. He seems like the kind of young man who, in 2025, could be drawn in by the likes of Andrew Tate and other “manosphere” and right-wing grifters. This version of Hitler is not yet a genocidal monster – he deliberately seeks out the Jewish Freud family in order to spend time with them, after all – but we can see the seeds of what may, if left unchecked, grow into terrible and dangerous things.
Hitler’s potential to be dangerous is the source of the drama and tension in the first half of the play. We the audience are well aware of what horrors Hitler is capable of, but Dr Freud is blind to it. It is compelling to watch the story unfold and wonder if Dr Freud will be able to notice the warning signs and intervene. Perhaps, in this alternative version of events, Hitler can be stopped before he even begins.
Sadly, the plot of the second half of the play is significantly less compelling. Not long after the interval, (spoilers) Hitler becomes Fuhrer, and thus all of the tension built up in the first half dissipates. The audience are no longer wondering what is going to happen; we know exactly what happens next.
In sickness and old age, Dr Freud is reduced to a passive observer rather than a compelling protagonist. Hitler, meanwhile, becomes a scenery-chewing supervillain; scene after scene involves him pacing around, monologuing, and often screaming and shouting. There is no longer any suspense or intrigue.
Despite a disappointing second half, the play is generally entertaining. The period costumes are of a high standard, and are effectively used to illustrate class, personality, and the passage of time. The set is inventive, featuring huge psychoanalytical notes as the back wall of the stage (although a few too many long scene changes in the second half are detrimental to the pacing). The actors all give good performances. It’s just a shame that a weaker script and plot in the second half prevent the show from living up to the high standard set in the first half.
Dr Freud Will See You Now, Mrs Hitler runs until 28th September at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, with tickets available at https://www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com/
Reviewer: Charles Edward Pipe
Reviewed: 10th September 2025
North West End UK Rating: