Amidst one of the most agitated chapters in Eastern Europe’s late life, the West End welcomes a new striking recount on the events that led Putin into his tyrannical upheaval. Guillermo Nazara shares his thoughts on this political thriller starring Tom Hollander, to let us know more about this story dealing with the shadows of power.
Money makes the world go around. Even for those who don’t believe in property. The farce of communism has been debunked a million times already – pretty much as anything that has to do with high morals in even higher positions. Power corrupts. Ambition destroys. And overconfidence makes you collapse. Patriots may be a thoroughly narrated tale on how a tiny man from provincial Russia rose as to become one of the mightiest leaders in the world. But its themes can be easily condensed in one simple sentence: those who call themselves holy usually stand for something crooked.
Written by Peter Morgan, the play is actually a recount on Boris Berezovsky’s life. A mathematical prodigy as a child and, until his exile, the most influential oligarch in the country, his story is a terrifying example of poetic irony: the guy who once was pulling the strings, only to later find he was the real puppet all along. Portrayed by Tom Hollander in a deliciously satirical performance (without any doubt, the show’s strongest feature), the piece serves as more than a mere exposition of historical facts, but a word of caution for anyone: beware your arrogance when you play it smart with somebody, chances are they may outsmart you.
Directed by Rupert Goold, the show offers a detailed depiction on the evolution from friendship (sort to speak) to feud between Berezovsky and Putin. Though providing us with an accurate description of the events, the script however fails to bring out the same intricacy when it comes to characters’ arcs and overall development. The dialogue does try to be insightful, but it’s a constant struggle which very rarely succeeds in erasing the boundaries between plot and audience – too often giving us the sensation that we’re observing what happens through a window pane, rather than being driven into its universe.
Such lack of connection may stem from the fact that the characters usually feel too distant. Their motivations are clear, but the reasons that trigger them seem either blurred or, sometimes, two-dimensional. All in all, we’re faced by roles that follow an archetype, but are missing the heart to set it in motion. Regardless of those problems, the narration works as a whole. And, in spite of a few scenes needing some trimming, it satisfactorily carries out a more than interesting recollection of some of the most notorious episodes in recent international politics.
Delivered within the decadent opulence of Miriam Buether’s soaring design (a combination of Western nightclub allure with soviet khrushchoba dullness), the company, as previously mentioned, play their parts with absolute excellence. The praise goes way beyond their very laudable performances, as their physical resemblance to the real people (those including even supporting roles such as Yelsin) is truly staggering. All of them triumphantly piecing togehther, the highest acclaim, apart from Hollander, goes to Josef Davies as Alexander Litvinenko, for the stoic elegance brought to the character. On the other hand, Will Keen does a very fine job as Vladimir Putin, particularly drawing out the insidiousness that defines his essence.
Though in need of further editing (especially with a first act that, in the beginning, seems indecisive about its style), Patriots represents more than a worthy accomplishment as a political drama, bringing up a closer, documentary-like look on a background nobody today is exempt from. The effort is more than noticeable, it only requires a deeper understanding of what they actually mean to tell. After all, if something can be learned about the fall of Communism is that to work, you need purpose.
All pictures credit to Marc Brenner.
Patriots plays at London’s Noel Coward Theatre until 19 August. Tickets are available on the following link.