Single Spies (tour)
Alan Bennett’s Single Spies is a pair of plays looking at two of the great British spy scandals of the 20th century; Burgess and Blunt. These
two very different characters were close friends at Cambridge University, but
while Burgess ran to Russia and lived out his life under virtual house arrest,
Blunt, protected by the establishment, continued in his role within the Royal
household and teaching in London.
An Englishman Abroad, the first of the two plays, looks at a brief meeting
between Australian actress Coral Browne (Liza Goddard) and Burgess (Robert
Powell) in Moscow. Burgess is revealed as a lonely drunk, living with this
state supplied partner (played by Russell Bright), disliking almost
everything about Russia except the Communist ideal and desperate for a new,
London-made, suit. Coral returns to London and does do Burgess’s shopping,
finding in the tailor (Timothy Knightley) and the shopkeeper (Nigel
Barrett) the variety of assessments about Burgess’s action, from them being
mild indiscretion to complete treachery.
The same cast then go on to A Question of Attribution, a delightfully clever
play looking at the period after Blunt (Powell) was unmasked but
before his position became public knowledge. Bennett cleverly parallels the
revealing of additional subjects in an old Titian painting to the revealing of
the spy ring, the interpretation of what is a fake and the perils of the
single-minded pursuit of truth in both art history and spy-catching.
Burgess’s
relationship with his interrogator (Knightley) is crucial to the play
and should have a hint of threat and a certain cold distance and disdain. Unfortunately, neither is exhibited in this production, but the pace and delivery remains enjoyable. The scene in which Burgess meets the Queen (Goddard) is a
superb one. As the pair converse, it becomes clear that there’s more in the sub-plot
than at first appears – as Blunt says, “I was discussing paintings, I’m not sure
that she was”.
The delivery of all of the actors is excellent. It’s been a while since I’ve heard
dialogue spoken so clearly, which is, of course, essential with Bennett’s
writing. That said, Goddard does tend to rush her lines a bit too quickly for
my liking, but this hardly dents the evening’s enjoyment.
I would, however, criticise director David Grindley‘s overall interpretation of Single Spies. Bennett’s double bill of espionage possesses an underlying dark side that, in my opinion, calls on the material to be presented in a straight manner. The comedy is in the individual lines and, if they are pitched in too consciously a light or comic tone, that intriguing darkness is easily lost. Grindley’s direction in An Englishman Abroad is also a bit too static.
Even still, I cannot deny that the audience, including myself, had a thoroughly good night out.
– Robert Iles (reviewed at the Oxford Playhouse)
