A shocking true story brought to life through powerful performances, unexpected humour and a deeply moving love story
There are some stories that are almost too extraordinary to believe, and A Very Expensive Poison is certainly one of them. Based on the true story of the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, the play explores the events surrounding his death, the investigation that followed and the devastating impact on his wife, Marina. It is a fascinating and often shocking production that manages to make a complicated political story both accessible and deeply personal.
I knew a little about the poisoning before seeing the show, but not much about the detail surrounding it. The production proved to be incredibly informative, bringing together the events of the poisoning and the wider political context in a way that was easy to follow. It is a story that feels particularly relevant given the continued attention on Russia in the news, and the play does a great job of highlighting how diplomatic tensions and decisions made at the highest levels of power can have such a profound impact on ordinary people’s lives.
Despite the sadness at the heart of the story, the production makes clever use of comedy to break up some of its darker moments. At first, some of the humour feels almost outrageous given the subject matter, but it never seems misplaced. One particularly memorable scene sees the two poisoners singing karaoke together. It is an absurd moment in an otherwise deeply disturbing story, but it helps to make the production all the more engaging. The balance between comedy and tragedy is not always an easy one to achieve, but here it gives the audience space to process what is unfolding without losing sight of the seriousness of the events.
The performances from Jo Godsal as Alexander and Cate Nunn as Marina were particularly strong. Their chemistry was fantastic and made the love story at the centre of the play feel entirely believable. Nunn was especially impressive, delivering a nuanced performance as Marina’s circumstances changed throughout the story. Her portrayal of the sadness and devastation of losing her husband felt visceral and incredibly real. It was this emotional connection between the two characters that gave the political events their human significance.
The set and costumes were relatively simple but effective, particularly given how frequently the action moves between different locations. The production also made some interesting choices around accents and language. When Russian characters were speaking amongst themselves, they used English accents, before adopting Russian accents when speaking to English characters. It was a subtle but clever distinction, and the cast handled these changes convincingly.
Perhaps what makes the story so powerful is the reminder that behind the international politics, investigations and diplomatic tensions are real people whose lives are irrevocably changed. The fact that the real Marina Litvinenko was actually in the audience made the experience even more extraordinary. It added another layer of poignancy to a production that was already dealing with an incredibly personal and painful story.
A Very Expensive Poison is an informative, entertaining and ultimately moving piece of theatre. While its subject matter is often shocking, the combination of dark humour, political intrigue and excellent performances makes it an accessible way to explore a story that deserves to be remembered. I would particularly recommend it to anyone interested in politics, history or true stories, but it is a production with plenty to offer beyond those subjects.
A Very Expensive Poison is playing the Old Fire Station until the Saturday 31 October.