Single Spies
Alan Bennett
A double bill consisting of two short plays, 'An Englishman Abroad' and 'A Question of Attribution'. The first follows the real-life meeting between actress Coral Browne and the defector Guy Burgess in Moscow; the second centers on Sir Anthony Blunt, the Queen’s art advisor and a Soviet spy. Both plays explore themes of loyalty, class, and the English habit of secrecy and betrayal. They are witty, understated, and deeply insightful studies of individuals caught between their national identity and their personal ideologies, featuring Bennett’s signature blend of humor and pathos.
Guy Burgess (An Englishman Abroad): A lonely, disheveled, and nostalgic defector living in drab Moscow, who yearns for the simple comforts and social connections of his former London life. Sir Anthony Blunt (A Question of Attribution): The refined Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures who meticulously navigates a double life as a high-society art expert and a secret Soviet spy. HM The Queen (A Question of Attribution): A sharp, perceptive monarch whose casual conversation with Blunt about art forgeries hints at her awareness of his own personal and political deceptions.
First Performance: 1988, at Lyttelton Theatre (National Theatre), London
Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Comedy; celebrated for its sophisticated writing and historical intrigue.
Original Actors: Alan Bennett, Simon Callow, Prunella Scales