• Venue Hampstead Theatre, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 24 October 2026
  • Age guidelines 14+

Book now for The Urmetazoan, a bold new play about sisters, science and the space between us, by award-winning writer Alex Rugman, directed by Anna Ledwich at Hampstead Theatre.

“Your sister’s problem was she got to see how big the universe was. But she thought that made all of us small.”

Sisters are strange: a collision of opposites and alignments, pulling and pushing away from each other. Alice and Abigail are no different. Alice got their mother’s looks; Abigail got her sense of humour. Alice has a Nobel Prize for Medicine; Abigail likes to get stoned on the sofa. Abigail is a homebody; Alice is preparing to leave the earth forever on a one-way mission to deep space.

When the sisters rediscover the joy of being in each other’s orbit, the concept of a goodbye becomes much harder than either of them anticipated. But the countdown has already started.

Directed by Anna Ledwich, whose previous Hampstead credits include the Olivier-nominated Dry Powder and Four Minutes Twelve Seconds, this new play is written by Alex Rugman, a graduate of Hampstead’s Inspire Programme and co-Artistic Director of Freight Theatre.

The Urmetazoan plays at Hampstead Theatre from 18 September to 24 October 2026. Book now.

Performance Information

Check booking calendar for full details

Tickets by Month
Oct 2026

Stars and Creatives

Who is in the cast of The Urmetazoan?

  • Ben Allen
  • Dorothea Myer-Bennet
  • Meghan Treadway

Who are the creative team of The Urmetazoan?

  • Writer: Alex Rugman
  • Director: Anna Ledwich
  • Designer: Tomás Palmer
  • Lighting: Jonathan Chan
  • Sound: Sarah Spencer

Venue Information

Hampstead Theatre , Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London, NW3 3EU

Nearest Tube or Train: Swiss Cottage (Jubilee Line)

Nearest Buses: C11, 13, 31, 46, 82, 113, 187, 268

Directions

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Urmetazoan is playing at the Hampstead Theatre in London
The age recommendations for The Urmetazoan are: 14+
To buy official London Theatre tickets to The Urmetazoan, click on the Get Tickets button at the top of this page. You will be able to access the booking calendar to check live ticket availability and prices and see any exclusive offers or discounts. You will be purchasing tickets from an authorised retailer and member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers.
Yes, The Urmetazoan has matinee performances on the following days:

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