Review: THIS MUCH I KNOW, Hampstead Theatre

Photo credit: The Other Richard

Jonathan Spector’s This Much I know explores the act of decision making and human phenomenon of needing to find ‘meaning’. It is a perplexing yet ultimately fascinating concept to put forward for an audience during a time of such global unpredictability and violence, and this fast paced three hander manages to weave a tapestry of complex psychological theories, historical events from Soviet Russia, white supremacy and contemporary issues into a thought provoking evening.

The downstairs studio of the Hampsead Theatre may be more intimate than the upstairs Main stage but, in this instance, serves the format of the work well. Transformed into a university lecture theatre, the space immediately draws the audience into an academic atmosphere and as someone who has sat through many lectures in my time, it is a triggering confrontation taking me back to my uni days. The play commences with a lecture on Heuristics and Biases: The Cognitive Complexities of Decision Making from Lukesh (Esh Alladi), a tenured professor of psychology. The lecture format serves as a clever vehicle for delivering the play's intellectual content and sets the tone for the production.

As the lecture progresses, we begin to gain insight into Lukesh’s personal life. As an example of something one might want to find meaning in, he uses a cryptic text message from his wife Natalya (Natalie Kalmar) that he is trying to decode. The message simply says, “I’ll be gone for a while.” “Possibly forever.” “It’s nothing you did.” Once meaning is derived from it, his next actions in response will be based on the perceived truth he has derived (if I have understood the theory). From this point on, the story unravels into a series of scenes that jump between soviet Russia, Stalin’s daughter Svetlana, Lukesh’s private sessions with a student grappling with family connections, to white supremacy and flashbacks to significant and defining events in Lukesh and Natalya's life. It is a whirlwind in many ways but constructed with care so the audience is able to get swept up in the cognitive journey.

Alladi anchors the play with a perfect blend of assertiveness and sensitivity as the professor grappling with the complexities of his own reality, and brings a commanding presence to the stage. His delivery of the academic lecture on decision-making is both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant. Klamar's depiction of Natalya adds a layer of boldness to the production. As a woman determined to uncover the truth behind her grandmother's friendship with Svetlana Stalin and her time in Russia, Klamar infuses Natalya with a tenacious spirit. The character's relentless pursuit of knowledge becomes a driving force in the play. Klamar’s versatility shines through in her portrayal of Svetlana, where she effortlessly shifts to a mysterious and enigmatic presence.

One of the most interesting characters in the work is Harold (Oscar Adams) a university student who had been indoctrinated into the world of white Nationalism from birth. He is self aware yet a victim to the false truths his brain has been trained to understand. Despite the unlikeable qualities of him at face value, Adams plays Harold with an honesty and naivety that generates a strong pathos in the character.

Director Chelsea Walker has done a fine job to find a physical and visual language to compliment the what could be overloaded text from Spector. The general dynamic between the three performers is incredibly strong and maintains a rhythmical quality as each actor transforms between multiple characters in nano seconds. No doubt, this can be attributed to Movement Director Michela Mezza.

Projection and video by Duncan McLean are used as conventions to help visualise explained theories in the text and help to paint a picture of historical aspects of the work. At times, it borders on making the work feel too clinical in its execution, however, manages to uncover enough abstract territory to avoid this. The simplicity of the set designed by Blyth Brett is effectively transformed in lighting fast transitions.

Like any good lecture, afterwards you are left fascinated and maybe a little bewildered. This Much I Know will get the brain working and the heart beating.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Stephanie Oszstreicher

This Much I Know plays at the Hampstead Theatre until 27 January 2024, with further information here.