Another disappointing presentation graces the Hampstead Theatre’s main stage. It is peculiar that a venue with a track record of exceptional productions in its smaller studio space struggles to deliver quality material on the larger scale. Just a few months ago, Jack Bradfield’s Dungeons and Dragons drama, The Habits, was a triumph in the studio.

This revival of Richard Bean’s adaptation of David Mamet’s 1980s film about con artists, initially premiered at Almeida in 2010, adds to the list of underwhelming productions. While Bean’s script injects more humor than the original screenplay, it ultimately fails to provide the suspense necessary to engage the audience. One would have to be incredibly naïve not to predict the plot twists.

It’s unfortunate because director Jonathan Kent has assembled a capable cast, led by Lisa Dillon as Dr. Margaret Ford, an uptight psychiatrist and bestselling author who unexpectedly falls for Richard Harrington’s Mike, a Chicago con artist who introduces her to the seedy world of low-stakes poker. In a matter of moments, our astute protagonist, an authority on compulsive behavior, is reimagined as a wide-eyed ingenue.

Andrew Whipp adds comic relief as Bobby, the scruffy bartender who is oblivious to the difference between a standard beer and a cocktail. Oscar Lloyd convincingly portrays Billy, a trust fund slacker who serves as Margaret’s gateway into the murky underworld.

Just over six months have passed since this stage featured Bean’s trawler drama Reykjavik, an interesting yet ultimately frustrating play made up of two discordant halves.

One structural flaw is the portrayal of Mike, a jaded master of “the social psychology of the con,” suddenly exhibiting a romantic side. Additionally, there’s an awkward conclusion that makes references to Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, rambling like the psychiatrist’s summary in Psycho. My conclusion is that most of us would have preferred to revisit Mamet’s original film at home.

⭐️⭐️⏳⏳⏳105min To Jun 7, hampsteadtheatre.com