Theatre: The Patriot Act

Published on Thursday 21 August 2008 20:48

THE PATRIOT ACT ***** GILDED BALLOON TEVIOT (VENUE 14)

IN THIS compelling new drama by Lydia Bruce and Sandy Burns, a renowned left-wing playwright is presented with a stark choice by a sinister government official who turns up unannounced at his Connecticut home: either write a play in favour of the War on Terror or spend the rest of your life in jail.

There are two potential problems with this premise. The first is that it's hard to believe the current US administration would bother with a piffling minority art form like theatre when they seem to be able to get Hollywood to churn out pro-war movies whenever they like (Oliver Stone: take a bow for the unashamedly sabre-rattling World Trade Center). The second is that, in such an apparently black-and-white scenario, the characters will always be in grave danger of descending into stereotype.

Against the odds, though, The Patriot Act turns out to be a subtle, believable and genuinely thought-provoking piece of theatre. Will Lyman, as the dramatist, William Carpenter, and Robert Pemberton, as the Mephistophelean government deal-maker Counsellor Goodman, both give brilliantly nuanced performances.

Robert makes the case for the War on Terror with some slippery but convincing logic, and as the play wears on William seems increasingly likely to succumb to his noxious mixture of carefully constructed arguments and thinly-veiled threats.

The head-to-head debates between these two provide the play with some riveting displays of intellectual pyrotechnics, but the piece derives its heart and soul from the scenes involving Carpenter's wife, Martha, now deceased, and their son Frank.

In defiance of his parents' wishes, Frank gave up a place at law school to join the Marines, and now, having been all-but disowned by William, he works as a merchant banker. When he is made aware of Carpenter Sr's predicament, however, Frank finds himself suddenly back at home, where, in an incredibly poignant final scene, he is effectively forced to choose his father's fate for him.

• Until 25 August. Today 12:45pm