Silence sits heavily in Nick Payne’s “The Unbelievers”, a play that dares to explore the uneasy space between grief, uncertainty and the fragile bonds of family. In a production of striking control and emotional weight, the Royal Court presents a portrait of people suspended between hope and despair, clinging to ritual as time slips around them. It is a thoughtful and often gripping piece of writing, although it leaves behind an unsettling aftertaste that is difficult to define.
Designer Bunny Christie’s set is extraordinary in both concept and execution. What initially appears to be an ordinary kitchen slowly becomes a canvas for the passage of time. Subtle changes in lighting (Jack Knowles), shifts in everyday clutter and the creeping disarray of domestic life reveal the ache of waiting. The visual storytelling is meticulous. The scenic world seems to age before our eyes, and it quietly mirrors the emotional erosion of a family holding its breath for news that may never come. The designers captures the hollow rhythm of life lived in suspended animation and it proves one of the most memorable aspects of the production.
At the centre of the drama is Nicola Walker, as Miriam, who delivers a performance of astonishing emotional clarity. Walker has a rare ability to convey deep feeling through the smallest of gestures. She expresses what is unspoken through rhythm, silence and stillness. Her portrayal of a mother trying to balance endurance with denial is quietly devastating. She carries the emotional spine of the story and elevates the script through her subtle interpretations of grief and protective instinct.
Paul Higgins delivers a beautiful and deeply felt performance as David, Miriam’s ex-husband. Too often stories of missing children revolve around maternal grief and the father is pushed to the edge of the emotional landscape. Higgins avoids the usual stereotypes. He brings a gentle, wounded presence to David and shows the private grief of a man who struggles to express pain in a world that rarely asks what fathers suffer. His scenes hold a tenderness that lingers and reveal a complicated love for all family members, that separation has not erased.
The younger cast members, Alby Baldwin (Nancy) and Ella Lilly Hyland (Margaret), also shine. Baldwin gives a grounded and truthful performance as a son searching for something solid to believe in while Hyland brings both warmth and vulnerability. Together they create a genuine sense of being sibling unity. Their interactions feel lived in and unforced which gives the play its human anchor.
Nick Payne’s writing is intense and intelligent. The dialogue pulls the audience into a tight and painful orbit. Yet unfortunately, something remains missing. There is a sense of emotional vacuum at the core of the story. Perhaps this absence is deliberate. Families who live with loss also live with unanswered questions. Still, the experience creates a distance in the play that some may find unsatisfying.
The running time of one hour and fifty minutes without an interval feels heavy and demanding. The pace is steady rather than propulsive and without moments of relief or structural variation, the energy dips. This does not undermine the quality of the production, but it does test audience attention and comfort.
Overall, “The Unbelievers” is a beautifully acted and finely designed play that lingers in the mind. It does not offer easy answers. Instead, it invites the audience to sit with the discomfort of not knowing and to search for meaning in the quiet spaces between words. Tickets are available at https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/the-unbelievers until 29th November 2025.
Reviewer: Alan Stuart Malin
Reviewed: 21st October 2025
North West End UK Rating: