God, Sex, Love and the Whole Meaning of Life
Nick Hennegan entertained by Freud's Last Session at the Tabard
Finlay McLean as Sigmund Freud and John Kay Steel as C.S. Lewis. Picture: Hunter Collins Photography
November 15, 2026
I wasn’t completely sure that a one-act, 80 minute play about two old intellectuals talking about intellectual stuff, written by an American (apologies to my American family and friends!) suggested by a book called, ‘The Question for God’ would be any way to spend a chilly Thursday night at the Tabard Theatre. Even though, there was apparently a film made of the play, featuring no less a star than Anthony Hopkins.
But the glory of this piece is that it is intelligent without being exclusively intellectual. Set in Sigmund Freud’s study in Hampstead on the eve of the Second World War, on 3rd September, 1939, elements feel horribly relevant to today. They talk about early prisoner releases and stockpiling canned food!
And although it's a bit light on story - Freud has invited C.S. Lewis to his home for a reason we’re not completely sure of - he’s read a review of his work and wanted to discuss some of his theories - it is a very entertaining show. The performances are top-class too. Finlay McLean pays the slightly crumpled, legendary psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, suffering with cancer and just a few weeks away from death but still as intellectually sharp as he ever was and John Kay Steel is an urbane and pleasant rising Oxford don, C.S. Lewis. The intellectual to and fros - one religious, the other not - are almost constant and they skirt a wide range of subjects - God, sex, love and the whole meaning of life.
It looks great too. Director David Ian Neville keeps the pace moving without artifice and Rachel Corrigan keeps the technical effects precise and sharp. It’s perhaps a little light on emotional engagement for an audience too, although we see more of the men behind their own myths when an air raid siren sounds. The men never met in real life, but Mark St Germain has written some great lines and fascinating statements. References to the Inklings, Tolkien and GK Chesterton were welcome too - and their take on Hitler before Britain was at war with Germany were possibly more chilling today than they might have been when the play was first produced in the USA. And in this internet age where debate seems to divide us on social media, it was also refreshing to see two men argue and debate with such respect for each other. And there were also some very funny lines too.
Finlay McLean as Sigmund Freud. Picture: Hunter Collins Photography
I found the whole night rather moving and it inspired some great debates in the bar of the Tabard Pub afterwards! It’s another quality offering from the London Pub Theatre of the Year. Go see Freud's Last Session. No arguments!
Nick Hennegan
Freud’s Last Session runs from 11–28 November with performances form Wednesday–Friday at 7.30pm, Saturdays at 6pm. Running time is around 80 minutes with no interval.
Tabard Theatre is at 2 Bath Road, W4 1LW just next to Turnham Green tube station.
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