The Unbelievers (play)

The Unbelievers is a dramatic stage play by British playwright Nick Payne which follows two parents working to heal years after their child's disappearance. The play premiered at London's Royal Court Theatre in 2025 starring Nicola Walker and Paul Higgins, and is set to premiere Off-Broadway in 2026 at City Center Stage 1, starring Lauren Ambrose and Tom Riley.

Plot

The play follows a blended family, led by parents Miriam and David with daughters Margaret and Nancy, years after their teenage son, Oscar, disappeared. Told in a nonlinear narrative, the play explores the disintegration of the family dynamic driven by Miriam's search for answers.

Production history

2025 West End premiere

The play had its world premiere in 2025 on the West End at the Royal Court Theatre, directed by Marianne Elliott. The production starred Nicola Walker as Miriam, Paul Higgins as David, Ella Lily Hyland as Margaret, Alby Baldwin as Nancy, Harry Kershaw as Benjamin, Martin Marquez as Karl, Lucy Thackeray as Lorraine and Isabel Adomakoh Young as Mia. Opening on October 10, 2025, the production ran through November 29 of the same year.

The production received mixed reviews, with The Guardian giving it two stars and calling it "tonally uneven." Similarly, Theatre and Tonic noted the play's structure could be "confusing," but lamenting that "when it’s good, it truly is good."

2026 Off-Broadway production

The play is set to make its North American premiere in 2026 when it premieres Off-Broadway at City Center Stage 1 as part of Manhattan Theatre Club's 26/27 season, with performances beginning October 13, 2026 in an open-ended run. Lauren Ambrose and Tom Riley were announced to star as Miriam and David, respectively, in a production directed by Knud Adams.

Cast and characters