Theatre review: Agent Of Influence: The Secret Life Of Pamela More

It's an uncertain time. Violence and political strife overseas are resulting in refugees seeking asylum on Britain's doorstep, though not everyone here is keen to take them in.

Rating: ***

Venue: Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61)

The global economy is still recovering from the last big crash, and one particular internationally-known hothead is keen to make his country great again, with a fair idea of who is to blame for ruining it in the first place.

That’s right – it’s the 1930s. Lady Pamela More, fashion columnist for the Times, has been commissioned to write a feature on American divorcee Wallis Simpson, King Edward VIII’s somewhat scandalous “companion”.

“They said she was quite the clothes horse – I’d say more horse than clothes,” notes More, who nevertheless takes the job – and picks up a little work on the side, spying on the suspicious Mrs Simpson for MI5.

Writer Sarah Sigal and performer Rebecca Dunn deserve equal credit for the creation of Lady Pam, with Sigal supplying a stream of pithy put-downs and Dunn spitting them out with perfect received pronunciation.

The story is a classic spy romp with none-too-subtle relevance in 2016 – the only minor disappointment is the (perhaps under-funded) set design, which fails to make full use of the 1930s Art Deco decadence.

• Until 28 August. Today 2:40pm

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