After their successful two-years duet as Queen Elizabeth II and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Claire Foy and Matt Smith are back as a couple struggling with issues (of a much more commoner kind) in the play “Lungs” written by Duncan MacMillan.

While queuing at Ikea, couple M and W start to question about the possibility to have a child. He is a musician on the eternal verge of becoming someone, she is finishing her PhD. But their conversation evolves not only around the pros and cons of having a baby but even how this birth could impact an already overcrowded world. M and W led a life of awareness about the climatic issues revolving around humanity. May a birth put an end on all this?

In 85 minutes of fast-paced dialogue, Foy and Smith build the ups and downs of a couple confronting their own issues with the world. The conversation is always brilliant, mixing drama and comedy, and the chemistry between the two actors is remarkable, proving that their work together in “The Crown” really generated something which reverberates in their career beyond it. Matthew Warchus directs with sharpness and wit a dramatic comedy providing food for thought to its audience, funny and bittersweet, with challenging tasks for the hard times we are living through.

“Lungs” is at Old Vic Theatre until November 9 (so hurry up!)