Guess How Much I Love You? Review: A Devastating Look at Early Parenthood
Luke Norris's long-awaited new play, Guess How Much I Love You?, has arrived at London's Royal Court Theatre, and it delivers a powerful, emotionally charged exploration of the tumultuous early stages of parenthood. Starring the exceptional Rosie Sheehy and Robert Aramayo, this production under Jeremy Herrin's direction is a stark, unsentimental drama that cuts to the core of relational strain.
A Painfully Acute Portrait
The play takes its title from the beloved children's picture book, but this is no sweet bedtime story. Instead, it presents a couple in their thirties, simply referred to as Him and Her, awaiting a 20-week scan at a hospital. From the outset, Norris crafts a dynamic of banter and underlying anxiety. Sheehy's character is fiery and intense, while Aramayo's is garrulous and philosophical, painting a picture of a couple who seem well-matched yet are on the brink of seismic change.
Without revealing the plot's shocking turns, the narrative delves into how parenthood can completely recontexualise a relationship. It's a process that forces partners to start anew under maximum stress, a point Norris articulates with clarity and lack of sentimentality. The play particularly highlights the disproportionate burden on the person giving birth, with Sheehy's incandescent performance plumbing depths of rage and despair that create a palpable distance between the couple.
Production and Performance
Jeremy Herrin's production complements the play's pared-back emotional landscape with a naturalistic, uncluttered approach. Grace Smart's set design is minimal, with scenes sitting in inky pools of darkness that enhance an unsettling, claustrophobic atmosphere. The production features six distinct scenes, each with a completely different set that changes silently during brief blackout interludes, adding a disorientating razzle dazzle to the otherwise bleak narrative.
Rosie Sheehy delivers a tour de force as Her, capturing the visceral physical and emotional toll of pregnancy and early motherhood. Robert Aramayo is equally compelling as Him, portraying a sensitive, poetry-quoting man who becomes hurt and baffled by his sudden obsolescence in the new dynamic. The supporting cast is minimal, with Lena Kaur appearing briefly as a midwife, keeping the focus intensely on the central couple's deteriorating connection.
The Bleakness and The Light
Guess How Much I Love You? is unapologetically bleak, selectively pared back to explore the darkest depths of what parenthood can do to a relationship. Norris isn't attempting to present a balanced account of typical parental experiences but rather to examine the extreme, uncut version of emotional turmoil. While most parents may recognise elements of the couple's struggle, their journey represents an amplified, more devastating path.
Yet, despite its darkness, the play rings painfully true emotionally. There's an exquisite purity to its bleakness that makes the relatively hopeful ending feel earned rather than contrived. As the play suggests, parenthood involves touching the abyss before pulling yourself back – a cycle of despair and recovery that Norris captures with devastating accuracy.
Practical Information
The production runs at the Royal Court Theatre on Sloane Square until 21 February 2026, with performances scheduled throughout January and February. Ticket prices range from £15 to £74.50, and the running time is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes without an interval. The theatre is easily accessible via Sloane Square tube station.
For those seeking theatre that challenges and provokes rather than comforts, Guess How Much I Love You? offers a raw, intelligent examination of one of life's most transformative experiences. It's a play that will particularly resonate with parents but speaks to anyone interested in the complexities of human relationships under pressure.
