Review: PATRIOTS, Noël Coward Theatre

Peter Morgan's play sends more than a slight chill down the spine.

By: Jun. 07, 2023
Review: PATRIOTS, Noël Coward Theatre
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Review: PATRIOTS, Noël Coward Theatre Although set in 1991, Peter Morgan’s Patriots feels urgently current. On the day that the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine was breached, causing extensive flooding, it is sends more than a slight chill down the spine to watch such a stark portrayal of how a few throwaway decisions led to the rise of Putin and his authoritarian regime.

After a run at the Almeida, the play now moves into the West End, covering the birth of the Russian oligarchy and the rise of Putin, facilitated by Boris Berezovsky; a friend then foe to Putin, who died in mysterious circumstances at his Berkshire home in 2013.

However, Morgan’s focus is not Putin, but Berezovsky himself, a gifted mathematician who grabs power in the vacuum created after the collapse of the USSR. By acquiring Russia’s state television station ORT, he becomes the most powerful man in Russia and, as a result, the de facto king-maker. In his facilitation of the rise of Putin, he falls out of favour as he too-slowly realises the extent of Putin’s ruthlessness.

Tom Hollander is naturally charming; alluring and brimming with vigour and languid energy as Berezovsky. The moments of anger and swaggering arrogance he shows in the character are delicately balanced with the devastating realisation that his puppet will not be manipulated.

It is easy to see why Will Keen won an Olivier for his role; he is mesmerising as Putin. Beginning as rather awkward and one-dimensional, he becomes visually harder and icily focused as his quest for Russian imperialism becomes ever more urgent. Crucially, this is an interpretation that avoids all caricature. The contrast in physical energy between the men is enthralling.

Luke Thallon also returns as the quietly shrewd Roman Abramovich, who realises Putin has the upper hand before Beresovsky does. Josef Davies’ more rough and ready Alexander Litvinenko gives a human face to showing how dissent can end in tragedy.

Morgan wrote the play well before Putin began his illegal invasion of Ukraine and after a myriad of documentaries, news items and podcasts, it feels as though the play is not telling us much that we don’t know already. However, the subject matter remains fascinating and Rupert Goold’s snappy direction maintains a focused and sharp pace, despite the two hour, forty minute running time.

There are a few flabbier moments; Berezovsky made a devastating decision to choose Putin as his puppet, despite having done a PHD in decision-making. Morgan ensures that this irony is not missed, but it is slightly overplayed through some expositional conversations between Berezovsky and his old maths mentor.

Miriam Buether’s red and black set is part strip club, part bar, part catwalk, lit by Jack Knowles’s flickering chandeliers and stark strip lights. Adam Cork provides an often-startling sound design, waking up the audience with blaring news bulletins and ominous rumblings. There is also judicious and nostalgic use of Russian singer Vysotsky’s love songs.

In many ways, this play is a study in machismo and the male ego; women barely get a look in the story. The thorny issue of patriotism is interchanged with personal ambition. What is good for Russia just happens to be good for the self interest of each man and despite the contrast in the characters and intentions of the men, they both see themselves as true and dedicated patriots. It is fascinating to see an interpretation of how Putin's accent began and we are left with deeply unsettling questions of where it will end.

Patriots is at the Noël Coward Theatre until 19 August

Photo Credit: Marc Brenner




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