him. – The Union Theatre

Fun. Flamboyant. Fantastic. Written by Natalie Ekberg and directed by Simon Fielding, him. follows Jane (Hannah Chalmers), her gay best friend Charlie (Niall Sheehy), and his husband, Osmond (Gary Tushaw). Through a non-linear narrative, the play explores love, friendship, sexuality, marriage, and individuality.

As we enter, Osmond is preparing for a party. The party is for Charlie’s fortieth birthday, and everything seems well until an unexpected guest arrives. Jane, whom they haven’t seen in sixteen years, walks through the door, much to Osmond’s dismay. What follows is a story that moves between the present and the past, slowly revealing why Jane left and what brought her back.

Through flashbacks, we see Jane and Charlie’s younger days in London, where the two were inseparable and lived for thrills. Things change when Osmond, an older and mature man, enters Charlie’s life. But the real turning point comes when we learn what happened years ago and the agreement that shaped all their lives. The story touches on some difficult questions around sexuality, family, monogamy, and the expectations we place on ourselves and others. It also explores the messiness of human relationships, with characters who are far from perfect but have understandable reasons for the choices they make.

The play starts a little slowly but picks up midway through the first scene. There are quite a few pop songs on the playlist, though some musical transitions feel a bit out of place given the emotional weight of the scenes they follow. The performances are solid, with Tushaw and Chalmers standing out. I also thought the dynamic between the three main characters during the flashbacks was stronger than some of the interactions in the present-day storyline. The lighting is well handled, helping establish the different timelines, shift focus, and build emotional tension. At times, the sound overpowers the performers, though these moments are brief.

Some scenes felt like a stretch, while others were genuinely touching. One of the strongest moments comes when Jane opens up about the grief of not being a “real” mother. It’s a brilliant scene that gives real weight to the story and the choices the characters have made.

The unevenness extends to how some of the characters react and how the scenes fit into the wider story. Kit is a fun character, and his interactions with Jane are both important and entertaining, but at times I felt the play spent a little more time on him than the story needed. Nana, meanwhile, serves as a mediator between the characters, and her scenes do reveal useful information, but she never quite feels like more than that. Some scenes seem to exist mainly to fill in the gaps in the story rather than move it forward in a meaningful way. It’s not that these moments are pointless, but they don’t always feel as well integrated as they could be.

Overall, him. is a decent play with plenty of energy, a good soundtrack, and some genuinely moving moments. The plot has real potential, and the performances and direction do a lot to bring it to life. However, some of the writing feels overly sentimental or rushed, and certain scenes don’t quite land. The story has all the ingredients for something great, but they don’t always come together as well as they could. A solid enough watch, but one that left me wanting a little more.

Reviewer: Prateek Sonny
Reviewed: 21st October 2026
North West End UK Rating: