The Old Country

This show has now closed, click here for a listing of current and future London shows

Play Closed 6 May 2006

Trafalgar Studios 1 Whitehall, London

Alan Bennett's play The Old Country deals with questions of loyalty and betrayal, homeland and exile, friendship and family, in a way which is both extraordinarily funny and exceptionally touching. This revival stars Timothy West, Jean Marsh and Simon Williams.

The Old Country is about Hilary, a British spy in exile in the Soviet Union, traitor to King, country and class. When his sister and newly knighted brother-in-law come to visit him and his long-suffering wife, Bron, they are forced to re-examine their allegiances.

Timothy West on his role as 'Hilary' in The Old Country: "It's very much an analysis of his feelings about returning home and what he'd like to find there, and whether in fact he should be trying to find reasons to go back or not. It's a play that I saw and liked very much in 1977; it's extraordinarily profound and Alan Bennett's writing is absolutely fascinating. It struck me that it had a very particular feel, quite unlike Alan's other plays about real people who were spies, this is about an imaginary man."

Alan Bennett is responsible for a number modern day stage classics including Talking Heads, The Lady in the Van, The Madness of George III, and more recently, the multi-award winning The History Boys. He received an Olivier Award in 2005 for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.