Springwood ★★★ Hampstead Theatre | Jun 19 - Jul 25, 2026

In 1939, the forty-four-year-old King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth, visited the President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and his wife Eleanor at the Roosevelt family estate, Springwood. George had been on the throne for only three years following his brother's abdication, while Roosevelt had already served seven years as President. The visit was an exercise in soft diplomacy, designed to gauge where the President might stand in the event of a second war with Germany. American public opinion remained deeply divided, and it was the King's task to determine whether the United States government, and Roosevelt in particular, could be persuaded to support Britain. The premise of Richard Nelson's play is an intriguing one. The way personal relationships can influence political realities has always been a compelling subject for drama. These two complicated men shared more than first appearances might suggest. The King struggled with a severe stammer, carefully concealed from public view, while Roosevelt's reliance on a wheelchair was likewise kept largely out of sight. Both also lived under the pressures of difficult family relationships. George had long existed in the shadow of a formidable father and his charismatic elder brother, while Roosevelt found himself caught between an overbearing mother and an exceptionally independent wife. The play attempts to explore these parallels and show how they forged a bond between the two leaders. Unfortunately, it never quite convinces. The constraints of the stage inevitably make it difficult to capture the gradual development of trust and understanding through subtle shifts in conversation and behaviour. Even allowing for this, however, the relationships are developed in an overly obvious and sometimes heavy-handed fashion. The friendship between the two women is handled with similar awkwardness. The Queen's anxiety over the prospect of being seen publicly eating a hot dog provides much of the play's humour, yet it is difficult to believe that Eleanor Roosevelt would need to explain that such an informal gesture would endear the royal couple to the American public and help strengthen feelings of kinship between the monarchy and the United States. The production is also undermined by a number of distracting directorial decisions. It is doubtful that an equerry would sit in the King's presence or appear before him wearing a dressing gown and bare feet. Equally implausible is the suggestion that George would have arrived without first being briefed on the Roosevelts' unconventional domestic arrangements. There is also an unconvincing age disparity between the actors portraying George and Elizabeth, which subtly weakens the credibility of their relationship. Despite these shortcomings, the play reminds us that history often turns not only on diplomacy and military calculation, but also on human connection. The warmth that gradually develops between the King and the President hints at something that would outlast the visit itself. In retrospect, the encounter can be seen as an early expression of the Special Relationship that would come to define Britain and the United States throughout the Second World War and beyond. While the play never fully realises the emotional truth of that historic encounter, it nevertheless suggests that events may be shaped as much by personal understanding as by political calculation. It is a timely reminder that friendships between individuals can sometimes alter the course of history as profoundly as agreements between nations.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by J.C.

Photo by Manuel Harlan

When, Where, Getting there:

• Jun 19 - Jul 25, 2026
• Tue - Sat: 7:30 pm, Thu & Sat: 2:30 pm
• Hampstead Theatre
• Nearest tube: Swiss Cottage
• https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2026/springwood/