We seem to be living in an age when every new theatrical show is a musical. I love musicals; but it would be nice to see more plays, neglected classic plays and modern plays. The transfer of Peter Morgan’s Patriots from the Almeida to the West End is highly welcome news.
Morgan has won many awards on screen and stage. He is the author of The Crown, The Queen, The Deal (between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown) and Frost/Nixon, based on the 1977 legendary Watergate scandal TV interview.
Morgan now turns his attention to Russia and the power struggle between the politicians and the oligarchs. The patriots are Boris Berezvosky and Vladimir Putin. Both love Russia. Both want to save Russia but in irreconcilable ways.
The play is primarily about the rise and fall of Berezvosky: from child maths prodigy to academic to businessman, to fortune. Perestroika was good for him. He became a billionaire. He survived assassination, gained control of the main television channel and became a political force to be reckoned with. He created Putin.
He thought he could manipulate him. Too late he realised he had created a monster over whom he had no control. He publicly berated him on TV for the government’s gross mishandling of the Kursk submarine disaster. He went into exile in the UK before he could be arrested. Accused of fraud and embezzlement, he was denied a return to Russia. He committed suicide.
The drama does not really begin until the second act when Putin is President. But once begun, it grips totally. Tom Hollander as Berezovsky has the swagger and the dry wit which commands the stage completely. Will Keen is very convincing as Putin, uptight, ruthless, a chilling threat to world order. There is good support from Luke Thallon as Roman Abramovich. Rupert Goold directs a bold production.
To learn more about Robert Tanitch and his reviews, click here to go to his website. 
