Tony Award-nominated actress Jennifer Westfeldt will make her London theatre debut this autumn in the European premiere of Richard Greenberg’s The Assembled Parties.
Directed by Blanche McIntyre, the production will run at Hampstead Theatre’s Main Stage from 17 October to 22 November 2025, with a press night on Thursday 23 October.
Westfeldt, best known for her work in Kissing Jessica Stein and Friends With Kids, will play Julie Bascov, a former movie star hosting a lavish Christmas celebration in her Central Park West apartment.
Speaking about the role, Jennifer Westfeldt said:
“I can’t possibly express how honoured I feel to be playing ‘Julie’ in Richard Greenberg’s brilliant, beautiful play, The Assembled Parties. To have the opportunity to dig into a character with as much light and ebullience and wit and compassion and deep, visceral humanity as she has… is a precious gift.
“Richard Greenberg’s gorgeous play — and indeed, his entire body of work — is filled with sparkling wit, a symphony of glorious words and rhythms, and an uncanny depth of feeling that somehow never becomes maudlin.
“He had an utterly original, singularly brilliant voice, yet somehow he simultaneously conjured the greatest playwrights of the modern era: he had the wit of Noël Coward, the verbal dexterity of Shaw, the poetry of Tennessee Williams, and the bittersweet pathos and searing humanity of Chekhov.
“Working on this play feels like an absolute dream come true for me. And to be a small part of bringing this play to London for the first time feels like a double blessing.”
Joining Westfeldt is Tracy-Ann Oberman, known for EastEnders, Friday Night Dinner, and her acclaimed performance as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice 1936.
The cast also includes Daniel Abelson, Julia Kass, David Kennedy, Alexander Marks, Sam Marks, and young actors Rex Bamber and Maxwell Rich, who share the role of Timmy.
Director Blanche McIntyre said:
“I am thrilled to be able to direct this exquisite, sparkling, profound masterpiece by one of America’s most brilliant and insightful playwrights. At a time when the world feels increasingly unstable, it is a pleasure to work on a piece that speaks so tenderly about the bonds of family and the passing of time, and beyond exciting to have our dazzling, internationally renowned cast bringing it to life. I look forward enormously to presenting its European premiere.”
The Assembled Parties originally premiered on Broadway in 2013, earning three Tony Award nominations and extending its run three times due to popular demand.
The play explores the dynamics of an extended New York Jewish family across two decades, beginning in 1980 and revisiting them in 2000, revealing the impact of time on relationships and aspirations.
The creative team includes designer James Cotteril, lighting designer Malcolm Rippeth, sound designer John Leonard, and casting director Anna Cooper.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
