SINGLE SPIES Comes to Birmingham Repertory Theatre Next Month

A new production of Alan Bennett's hit comedy comes to Birmingham Repertory Theatre next month. Following the success of The King's Speech, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre collaborate once again on this award-winning comedy masterpiece, Single Spies.

Olivier Award-nominated Rachel Kavanaugh will direct Nicholas Farrell (as Guy Burgess), Belinda Lang (Coral Browne and Her Majesty the Queen) and David Robb (Anthony Blunt).

Bennett's award-winning espionage double bill is a pointedly satirical snapshot of two members of the infamous 'Cambridge Five', Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt, both recruited as spies by the Soviet Union during World War II.

In 1950s Moscow, Coral Browne receives an invitation to lunch with shunned Soviet spy, Guy Burgess, with the sole instruction to 'bring a tape measure'. An Englishman Abroad is a wry and touching play which chronicles the pair's fleeting friendship and Burgess' attempts to cling to his way of life as a Soviet citizen.

A Question of Attribution gives us a glimpse into Anthony Blunt's life of espionage within the very walls of Buckingham Palace. Following his double-life as an art historian to royalty and a Soviet spy, this witty tale of forgery and deceit culminates in a sharp and candid interrogation from Her Majesty the Queen herself.

Single Spies premiered at the National Theatre in 1988, opening to critical acclaim and receiving an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 1990.

Nicholas Farrell's previous credits with Chichester Festival Theatre include The Browning Version/South Downs (and West End) and Damsels in Distress he also starred as Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van (Queen's Theatre). Farrell's extensive film career includes The Iron Lady, Legend and Chariots of Fire.

Belinda Lang is best known for playing Bill Porter in hit TV show 2 Point 4 Children (BBC) further screen credits include Second Thoughts (LWT), Doctors (BBC) and Midsomer Murders (ITV). She has recently appeared on stage in Oklahoma! (Northampton/Tour), Ladies in Lavendar (National Tour), Hay Fever (Royal Exchange and Haymarket Theatre) and East is East (Birmingham Repertory Theatre).

David Robb is currently on screen as Dr. Clarkson in the multi-award winning drama Downton Abbey (ITV) his extensive television credits also include Wolf Hall, Roman Mysteries and Garrow's Law (all BBC). On stage he has recently appeared in The Audience (Apollo Theatre) and Hamlet (Tour & West End).

Rachel Kavanaugh was previously Artistic Director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre and has directed multiple celebrated productions at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre including The Sound of Music (nominated for Best Musical Revival, Oliver Awards; winner of Best Musical Revival, WhatsOnStage Awards), Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. For Chichester Festival Theatre, Kavanaugh's Love Story was Olivier Award-nominated for Best New Musical and received a West End transfer. She recently directed the UK tour of Oklahoma!

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