From Tony and Olivier Award-winning director Marianne Elliott and playwright Simon Stephens comes a new play starring the critically acclaimed Anne-Marie Duff and Kenneth Cranham.
Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle features a chance meeting between two strangers in a crowded London train station that changes their live forever. Surprising and life-affirming, it ponders the question: what brings people together in this uncertain world?
What Is Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle about?
The play is about a 45 year old woman, Georgie, who spots a much older man in the hustle and bustle of London train station and decides to plants a kiss on his neck. This electric encounter thrusts these two people into a fascinating and life-changing game. Heisenberg brings to blazing, theatrical life the uncertain and often comical sparring match that is human connection.
Internationally renowned for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, visionary playwright Simon Stephens joins director Marianne Elliott and producer Chris Harper in the making of this new play.
Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls Heisenberg, “A soaring, suspenseful, thrilling and wondrous play. Heisenberg resonates in your mind long after it’s over.”
Book your tickets for Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London today!
Customer Reviews
The play had a promising premise but I don't think it fully developped any of its motifs. The wonderful production and the acting seemed to imply that the text had more depth than it really had. Still, I very muched enjoyed seeing it. The audience, however, was terrible. I've never heard so much coughing in a theatre in my life. They were coughing over key lines and not only other members of the audience, but also the actors must have been highly annoyed by this. The achievements of AM Duff and K. Cranham are all the more remarkable.
Stunning performance, 90 minutes of emotion, nothing happens but everything happens! What a beautiful play with amazing humour.
For the first fifteen minutes you wonder if the casting went awry and Alex isn’t supposed to look 75 years old - because Georgie is in her mid forties and this is a love story. Moving, beautiful and mad - just like Anne-Marie Duff’s character. Ninety minutes without interval it’s perfectly crafted and a perfect ending.
One of the most innovative presentations I have ever seen. Anne Marie Duff's performance was a "tour d' Force
Far from being a ninety-minute "life-enhancing" experience, this had to be one of the worst plays--if I can even call it that--I've seen this season. There was no real plot; scenes were more like snippets; the title itself bears absolutely no relationship to the uncertainty principle itself. I ought to have been paid to endure this.
Gripping performances. Staging simple yet very effective. Absolutely recommend.
Acting was great, staging was spectacular, the playwright needs help.
I read the playbill on the train, on my way home and immediately wanted to go back and see the show again - from this other point of view. Without the brilliant explanations, what I had been left with was sensational acting, outstanding lighting, inventive sets and complicated but energizing dialogue. Without the knowledge of the scientific explanation of the uncertainty principle, I was (I thought) witness to bi-polar anxiety (which can be very disturbing). Once I read the playbill, I saw myself in this play and was hungry for more.
Enjoyed the play very much, it is an interesting concept, both of the actors were quite brilliant and well cast. I could recommend it to others who have a thinking mind.
Excellent play. Very intense and moving. Amazing stage set.
A must see. Perfect !
Excellent performance and set, especially Anne M-D. However sometimes hard to hear some dialogue from back of stalls.
Wonderful performances from Kenneth Cranham and Anne-Marie Duff. The kinetic flow of the set combined with the expressive lighting really brought the production alive. Was just left a bit wanting with the plot. The Heisenberg theme was somewhat tenuous and overall the plot felt a bit empty - there are better productions at the moment that explore the lighter and soulful aspects of relationships more effectively ( Beginning and The Lie)
We were a party of 5 and we all liked this performance very much. In our view it was well written, thought provoking, charming and skilfully directed. We really appreciated the very good acting, physical theatre, stagecraft and lighting
We loved the play, the way the relationship built and some of the twists. There is also a great message about no wasting your life away.....so I will be finding a park bench to sit on!
The play was very dull, with predicted dialogues. No real story to support it. Disappointed to be honest.
I’d heard an interview with Anne-Marie Duffy in Radio 4, and I knew it was something special. Indeed, I laughed and cried and was, all the time, I’m awe of both stunning performances. It was an honour to watch two people, who have mastered their art form, deliver such brilliant lines. So much of our human experience was displayed with such empathy and warmth. It was a gift. And the simplicity and effectiveness of the set, lighting and wardrobe was genius. It didn’t get a standing ovation, but really deserved one - my excuse is that I was on the back row - but I would have liked to have shown more gratitude at the end. Thank you to all who helped create it anyway. I am certainly richer because of it.
It is a moving play about the unpredictability in life and how to embrace it rather than fear it. The two characters, who meet by chance, are in a rut of deadening sameness but they come alive whilst responding to the challenge of uncertainty. Beautifully played and directed! And wonderfully written, of course.
Fabulous
A very enjoyable and stimulating show. Very different and full marks to the artists. Thoroughly appreciated the simple and effective sets.. Very ingenious. Highly recommended for adults but not children.
I enjoyed the production but felt that in places it was a it was a bit off-piste....
The title of the play gives the impression you will be wowed with facts and leave the play a little more enlightened than when you entered but that was certainly not the case. The story line was vague and the ending felt like a loose end. Left feeling glad it was only 90minutes. I'm certain if there was an interval majority would not come back for the second half
The overt sexism spoilt this play for me. The woman's expectations were for a man to take care of her. This seemed to the the main premise of the play about two isolated, lonely & needy people.
The overt sexism spoilt this play for me. The woman's expectations were for a man to take care of her. This seemed to the the main premise of the play about two isolated, lonely & needy people.
The drama started brilliantly and the prospect of an enjoyable evening was in the menu but it was heavily disrupted by the same type of dialogue and conversation and it looked the thing was going nowhere. The old fellow was not logical in the end and the drag started to filter through to us. There is a vast amount of this drama which can easily be improved by the writers. The shinning light came in the end. Full marks for the acting which was next to perfect but they were the slaves of the writers who did not do justice to these two fine actors in the West End.
Superb acting as always from Kenneth, he's one of Britain's finest actors. Anne-Marie was spellbinding
Witty , sad , thought provoking , uplifting Great acting , beautiful simple set and music complimenting mood ,situation changes and props
fortunately if necessary given the choice between good acting and good play I will always chose the acting . so I was not disappointed. yet again we are lucky to be living through an era of brilliant set designers. I realise what the author was trying to say but if the play could have had a 4 letter title it would be more suitable for the number of times the increasingly and unnecessary use of another 4 letter word is in use all over London theatre
It really took me by surprise with its depth and intimacy, and the set construction alongside the music was phenomenal. It was a really touching and beautiful play, I only wish I could have found out more about what would happen to the characters afterwards.
I thought this a dreadful play. Banal, uninteresting and with only a tangential reference to Heisenberg which is what drew me in. Kenneth Cranham looked ill at ease throughout, whcih may have been why he fluffed lines. But his part was awful- and monosyllabic for the most part. Anne Marie Duff made the best she could but the play was so dull and inconsequential that this was hard to do. Many of the set changes seemed irrelevant and the play constructed around these rather than the other way around. My advice- don't go!
FAQs
Address
Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0DA
Cancellation Policy
No refunds after booking.
Duration
The running time of HEISENBERG: THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE is 90 minutes with no interval.
When Can I Go
3rd October 2017 - 6th January 2018
Monday - Saturday: 8.00pm
Thursday & Saturday: 3.00pm
Where Do I Go
Wyndham's Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DA
How To Get There
Train: Charing Cross (approx. 200m)
Tube: Leicester Square (next to theatre), Charing Cross (approx. 600m), Holborn (approx. 600m)
Bus: 24, 29, 176