Luke Norris's new play, Guess How Much I Love You?, is a harrowing and profound portrayal of pregnancy, grief, and the complexities of marriage. The unnamed couple at its center must navigate the intense emotional turmoil that comes with expecting a baby, all while confronting their own mortality.
The performance is led by Rosie Sheehy and Robert Aramayo, who deliver explosive performances that bring depth and nuance to their characters. Their dialogue is razor-sharp, often hurtful, and occasionally humorous, capturing the brutal intensity of a relationship under siege.
Director Jeremy Herrin has woven together a narrative that careens from dark humor to tender moments of vulnerability, never shying away from the harsh realities of pregnancy and grief. Norris's writing reveals itself as masterful, drawing on themes of mortality and the human experience with wit and sensitivity.
The production design is striking, with blackouts between scenes allowing for rapid shifts in environment. The set changes seamlessly from a couple's bedroom to a hospital room, highlighting the fluid nature of their reality. Jessica Hung Han Yun's lighting adds another layer of depth to the show, plunging into darkness as emotions erupt and then bursting back into light.
What makes Guess How Much I Love You? particularly remarkable is its refusal to sentimentalize the emotional toll of pregnancy and parenthood. Instead, it tackles these fraught topics head-on, yielding a deeply moving and often laugh-out-loud funny tour de force that feels 100% genuine and zero% syrupy.
For now, this is a must-see at the Royal Court's 70th anniversary season, serving as a powerful reminder of the complexity and beauty of the human experience.
The performance is led by Rosie Sheehy and Robert Aramayo, who deliver explosive performances that bring depth and nuance to their characters. Their dialogue is razor-sharp, often hurtful, and occasionally humorous, capturing the brutal intensity of a relationship under siege.
Director Jeremy Herrin has woven together a narrative that careens from dark humor to tender moments of vulnerability, never shying away from the harsh realities of pregnancy and grief. Norris's writing reveals itself as masterful, drawing on themes of mortality and the human experience with wit and sensitivity.
The production design is striking, with blackouts between scenes allowing for rapid shifts in environment. The set changes seamlessly from a couple's bedroom to a hospital room, highlighting the fluid nature of their reality. Jessica Hung Han Yun's lighting adds another layer of depth to the show, plunging into darkness as emotions erupt and then bursting back into light.
What makes Guess How Much I Love You? particularly remarkable is its refusal to sentimentalize the emotional toll of pregnancy and parenthood. Instead, it tackles these fraught topics head-on, yielding a deeply moving and often laugh-out-loud funny tour de force that feels 100% genuine and zero% syrupy.
For now, this is a must-see at the Royal Court's 70th anniversary season, serving as a powerful reminder of the complexity and beauty of the human experience.