Robert Lindsay stars as President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 'Springwood,' a stage adaptation of Richard Nelson's film 'Hyde Park on Hudson,' now playing at Hampstead Theatre. The play dramatizes the 1939 state visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to the United States, a meeting that laid the groundwork for the Anglo-American 'special relationship' as Hitler's power loomed. Despite a strong cast and timely subject matter, the production suffers from a slow pace and episodic structure.
Plot and Performances
The story follows the British royal couple as they navigate a country-house weekend at Roosevelt's Springwood estate, struggling with American customs like beer etiquette and eating hot dogs. Lindsay's Roosevelt is an easy-going, wise-cracking paternal figure, while Andrew Havill's Bertie (the king) is awkward and reserved. They bond over whisky, stamp collecting, and shared experiences of disability: Roosevelt's paralysis from polio and Bertie's speech impediment. Rebecca Night plays the anxious Queen Elizabeth, desperate to call home, while Jemma Redgrave's Eleanor Roosevelt is pragmatic about her husband's affairs.
Directorial Changes and Staging
Originally announced as Stanley Tucci's directorial debut, Tucci dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, leaving Nelson to direct his own adaptation. Tom Piper's thrust staging creates an intimate space, but lengthy scene changes with furniture moved on and off stage halt the action. The script leans on national clichés: the British are tea-drinking and decorous, while Americans are plain-speaking free spirits. These cultural contrasts are not enough to generate dramatic momentum.
Timely Themes
Programming a play about the special relationship at a time of renewed UK-US tensions feels apt, but 'Springwood' suggests diplomacy might be solved with a late-night debrief and whisky. The play runs 2 hours 10 minutes, with tickets priced at £45–£65. Performances run from 30 June to 25 July 2026 at Hampstead Theatre, Swiss Cottage.
