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)