Stylish, cerebral spy thriller

3:43pm Wednesday 16th April 2008

Hapgood, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, until April 26 With more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, Tom Stoppard's spy thriller Hapgood combines traditional espionage with unlikely bedfellows science and comedy.

Old Hill girl Josie Lawrence takes the title role as a female spymaster who is under pressure to expose a double-crossing agent who has been leaking vital information to the Russians.

A Russian double agent and a member of her own team are in the frame but things are not necessarily what they seem and Hapgood's elaborate scheme might just backfire.

This stylish, cerebral thriller keeps the audience guessing to the very end as the lines between the good and bad guys become increasingly blurred.

It's spy on spy as the characters attempt to outwit each other to unmask the traitor in their midst.

This play is deliberately confusing and right from the tongue-in-cheek opening scene it frequently throws up themes of mistaken identity and misdirection.

For the most part the science is fathomable - Stoppard compares physics with human behaviour and draws parallels between the wave/particle theory and the human personality.

He sees duality in both science and human nature and, indeed, the play throws up numerous duplicities and duplicates - from the Russian twins in the opening scene to Hapgood's own twin sister.

Director Rachel Kavanaugh's revival of Stoppard's olay is strikingly staged with a film noir-ish design and jazzy score.

The use of tight spotlights on a character's face during scene changes was visually stunning as were the sleak, clean lines of all the sets.

And the background glimpse of a giraffe's neck through the observation window at the zoo was a particularly nice touch.

This play is the perfect vehicle for the ever-watchable Josie Lawrence. The role of Hapgood allows her to combine her talents for comedy, drama and characterisation.

She gets the character's depth of emotion just right - strong yet vulnerable, professional yet nurturing. Even her fellow spies call her "mother".

Indeed, it is Hapgood's love for her son and her desire for him to have a father which diverts her attention away from her job.

Chris Etteridge was also great as lead "spook" Blair - the organisation's "father" to Hapgood's "mother".

And John Hodgkinson, as the scientist and spy Kerner, was superb - creating a wonderful balance between witty one-liners and scientific speeches which he delivered with enough passion and authority to inspire even the most unscientific theatre-goer.

Performances take place Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm. Matinee performances at 2pm on Saturday April 19 and Thursday April 24. Call the Box Office on 0121 236 4455 or email tickets@birmingham-rep.co.uk to book tickets.

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