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Review: Firebird, King’s Head Theatre

summary

Rating

Excellent

This striking and thought-provoking story of secret love is a creative and worthwhile companion to the film and memoir.

Marking the first birthday of the new underground performance space at the King’s Head Theatre, it was wonderful to see an almost sold-out showing of Firebird, a new play by Richard Hough. Based on the memoir by Sergey Fetisov and the screenplay created by Peeter Rebane and Tom Prior, the play transports the audience to an era of communist rule in the 1970s. The stage design by Gregor Donnelly is simple but effective, immersing us in this time and place, with the audience surrounding the stage on three sides.

Enter Roman Matvejev (Robert Eades) and Sergey Serebrennikov (Theo Walker), sparring with each other, demonstrating their strong friendship and growing physicality. Eades and Walker command the space, their chemistry undeniable, making the moments of intimacy believable and passionately played. Eades, with his muscular and imposing presence, is perfectly cast as Roman, a senior-ranking officer and literal high-flyer, grappling with duty to the Soviet state, and his commanding officer Colonel Alexei Kuznetsov, played with gravitas by Nigel Hastings.

Sergey is a private, working in the landing crew, completing his national service. Walker’s portrayal has a compelling mix of inner strength, longing, and humour. Hough’s script gives Sergey unexpected one-liners that Walker delivers with impeccable timing, adding levity to the play’s poignant undertones.

In the opening scene we also meet Luisa Jannsen (Sorcha Kennedy), the third wheel in this complex relationship. Luisa is secretary to the Colonel, but is a close friend to Roman and Sergey. Kennedy’s portrayal of Luisa is grounded but has lightness that endears her to the audience instantly. Luisa also has some great moments of humour, delivered with incredible comedic timing. I particularly liked her interactions with Alexei later in the play, when they are no longer working together but have become unlikely friends. There is a pathos in her delivery at this point that is beautifully evoked through a combination of superb acting, interesting writing and great direction by Owen Lewis. Hastings’ performance at this stage of their relationship is perfectly balanced in tone and delivery, instantly demonstrating the man underneath the uniform: it’s understandable why Luisa begins to confide in him as she feels increasingly isolated.

The production is 90 minutes without an interval and the time flies by (no pun intended). This is 17 minutes shorter than the 2021 film, and it does feel like the stage version misses a great deal out. Although the scenes we witness are faultless and performed by a stellar cast, the play’s lack of jeopardy prevents the story from reaching its full emotional potential. The secrecy of Roman and Sergey’s relationship, with its life-altering stakes, and the complexities of Roman’s marriage to Luisa are rich in dramatic potential but are only lightly explored. This leaves certain revelations feeling less impactful than they could have been. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this play and value it as a creative accompaniment to the film and memoir.

Firebird is a striking exploration of love, loyalty, and identity in a time of great repression and conformity, brought to life by a stellar cast and a creative team at the top of their game. While the play’s emotional stakes could be heightened, it remains a powerful and thought-provoking production that lingers long after the final bow. This heartfelt and visually compelling piece is a fitting celebration of the King’s Head Theatre’s bold new space, and I eagerly anticipate what this venue will offer next.


Written by: Richard Hough
Based on the memoir by Sergey Fetisov and the screenplay by Peeter Rebane & Tom Prior.
Directed by: Owen Lewis
Set Design by: Gregor Donnelly
Lighting Design by: Clancy Flynn
Music Composition & Sound Design by: Jac Cooper
Intimacy Coordinatin by: Jess Tucker Boyd
Fight Direction by: Maisie Carter
Produced by: James Seabright 

Firebird plays at King’s Head Theatre until Sunday 9th February. Further information and booking are available here.

Alan Harbottle

Alan Harbottle is a 50-something, former Primary Teacher and fan of live performance. He has acted and performed with various theatre companies and choirs in Merseyside over the last 18 years and is excited to be back in the South-East theatre scene. He is part of the Pink Singers LGBT+ Community Choir. Previously he wrote reviews for NorthWestEnd Review.

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