REVIEW Single Spies at Brighton

Published Date: 08 April 2008

Location: Worthing

Team up Alan Bennett's witty, two-plays-in-one Single Spies and the talents of Nigel Havers and Diana Quick and you have a sure-fire success.

The plays, An Englishman Abroad and A Question of Attribution, take us back to the days of the infamous Cambridge spies and Guy Burgess and "fourth man" Anthony Blunt, in particular.

An Englishman Abroad is set in 1958 in Burgess' grotty Moscow flat, five years after his defection, and based on a real-life encounter with actress Coral Browne.

Having seen Browne on stage, Burgess left her a note inviting her to lunch and asking her to take a tape measure, so she could order him a suit in London.

In that few hours together, the life of the flamboyant, indiscreet and drunk man is brought vividly to light.

Left sad and disillusioned, Burgess is keen for news of names back home and is greeted by blunt, witty, yet at the same time sympathetic, reactions from the actress, played well by Diana Quick.

This is not a typical part for Nigel Havers – he is even seen removing his dentures to get rid of tomato pips – but he captured the character well and with humour.

At the other end of the scale, and much more Havers' style, is the seeming pillar of society of Anthony Blunt, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures.

A much more subtle piece, A Question of Attribution focuses on the ideas of forgery and fakes.

During Monday's opening night at Theatre Royal Brighton, Havers showed just how to react when things don't go quite to plan.

Realising slides of paintings had failed to change behind him, Havers said: "I wondered why I didn't get a laugh then" and carried straight on to laughter.

The highlight of this play is interaction between Blunt and the Queen, played by Quick. Bennett makes Her Majesty witty, perceptive and very human and Quick does the part justice in her twin set and pearls.

Former EastEnder Jack Ryder and John Arthur also give notable performances.

Single Spies finishes its run on Saturday, April 12. Tickets are £17 t0 £27 from the box office on 08700 606650, the groups Hotline on 08700 606617 or www.theambassadors.com/theatreroyal

Little Hampton Gazette