DramaOff West EndReviews

Review: Letters from Max, Hampstead Theatre

Summary

Rating

Unmissable!

Simple in form but vast in feeling, Letters from Max is a work of raw honesty, where words, cello, and silence tell a story of life at its most fragile and beautiful.

Currently showing at Hampstead Theatre, Letters from Max is adapted from the real-life correspondence between playwright Sarah Ruhl and young poet Max Ritvo. Directed by Blanche McIntyre, this production features just two actors and a cellist, yet it unfolds into a profoundly moving story — one about writing, illness, friendship, and farewell. With delicate honesty, it gently touches the deepest parts of its audience’s heart.

The stage, designed by Dick Bird, is minimalist yet rich with symbolism. At its centre stands a semi-transparent glass partition, through which the actors often communicate. This visual choice not only breaks the spatial expectations of traditional theatre but also perfectly reflects the epistolary form of their relationship — distant yet connected. The panel acts as both wall and mirror, allowing them to see each other while also confronting themselves. Guy Hoare’s lighting and Roly Botha’s sound design are precise and well-judged, while Laura Moody’s live cello performance becomes the emotional pulse of the piece. The cello is present throughout; through plucking, tapping, and layered melodies, it gives each poem a distinct texture and rhythm, as if the words are being physically ‘played’ into being.

Actors Sirine Saba and Eric Sirakian deliver performances full of strength and restraint. They don’t rely on overt emotion to move the audience, but rather use precise pacing and dynamic staging to reveal the evolving relationship between Sarah and Max. Their exchanges are sometimes witty and playful, sometimes quiet and deeply intimate. They’re not defined by the typical ‘teacher-student’ dynamic, but feel more like two close spirits exchanging pieces of their inner world. The lightness of their humour and banter — knowing that the story will inevitably end in loss — makes these moments even more precious, even more heartbreaking. The emotional honesty and richness of the entire piece are something rarely encountered in the theatre.

One of the most affecting moments comes in the second act, as Max’s illness worsens. When he is no longer able to read his own poem aloud, Sarah steps behind him and reads it for him. This moment, simply staged, becomes one of the emotional peaks of the play. The actors’ emotions reach their height, the cello builds with them, and the entire theatre seems to hold its breath. The portrayal of death in this scene is equally unforgettable — there is no music, no dialogue, just a long, sustained silence. The audience has nowhere to turn. We’re left only to face Max’s departure, and to sink into the quiet grief that fills the stage. This kind of restraint speaks more powerfully than any words could.

Letters from Max is so affecting not only because it is based on a real story, but because every single person involved has approached the work with care and sincerity. The writing is tender, the direction thoughtful, the lighting and sound always in tune with the emotional flow, the cello performance poetic, and the actors’ portrayals of this unique relationship remarkably complete. There is not a single weak link. Everyone involved has contributed to this letter to life with attention and love. And it reminds me that the power of theatre comes most clearly from this kind of inner sincerity, shared outward.


Written by Sarah Ruhl
Based on the book by Sarah Ruhl and Max Ritvo
Directed by Blanche McIntyre
Designer Dick Bird
Lighting Design by Guy Hoare
Sound Design by Roly Botha
Composer/Cellist Laura Moody

Letters from Max runs at Hampstead Theatre until Saturday 28 June.

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