Kompromat ☆☆☆☆☆
Vault Festival
London is frequently listed as the most popular tourist destination in the world with travellers drawn to the incredible sights such as Big Ben and Buckingham Palace and all the pomp and ceremony that goes with it. There is, however, another aspect for which we are becoming famous and that is extravagant, eye-poppingly audacious political assassinations.
Take the recent attempt on the life of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal (and the death of bystander Dawn Sturgess) with military grade chemical weapon Novichok on the streets of Salisbury. Then there was the gruesome death of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 caused by the radioactive polonium-210 dosed in his cup of tea at a Grosvenor Square hotel.
The Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov died back in 1978 from a ricin pellet fired from an umbrella on Waterloo Bridge. In addition there was the open verdict in the death of Roberto Calvi (also known as ‘Gods banker’ due to his role as chairman of the collapse of the Italian Banco Ambrosiana which had links to the Vatican Bank). In 1982, he was found hanging underneath Blackfriars Bridge with bricks stuffed in his pockets.
Kompromat is a spellbinding and deft exploration of one such extraordinary case; that of Gareth Williams (represented by the character Tom in this play). The 31 year old was a codebreaker at the UK listening post GCHQ and was on secondment to MI6. In August 2010 his naked body was found inside a sports holdall (padlocked on the outside) in the bath of his flat but the inquest verdict was inconclusive.
The plot of Kompromat could get lost if it became a ‘whodunit’, trying to solve a mystery Scotland Yard was not able to crack. Rather wisely playwright David Thame imagines what kind of person could do this to Tom and what is their story. We delve into the sinister world of international organised crime centred on Hungary and the Balkans. We learn that Zac (played with hypnotically louche threat by Max Rinehart) goes by many names “Ryan, Josh, Steve….” and has upgraded from a niche porn actor to being an “oligarchs pet” belonging to Janos the Hungarian crime lord. As Zac says “goodbye spanking vids and hello Budapest!”.
Through a series of flashbacks we learn more about this young man, and how his career choice has afforded him exquisite, unexpected pleasures such as sunning himself on unspoilt beaches where off duty Croatian soldiers run around naked; to the ice cold fear of discovering clothes that belonged to his immediate predecessor who had just been “spirited away” leaving nothing but grains of sand in a folded T-shirt. The writing is evocative, the imagery precise and the effect utterly chilling.
The moment it becomes obvious that Zac intends to enlist Tom as a double agent, it’s revealing when Tom angrily says “this is the 21st century!” indeed the security services now recruit in the gay press and being LQBTQ has lost nearly all its power of blackmail. Unfortunately this refusal has also sealed Toms fate as there can of course be no loose ends.
The immaculate stage set by Fionnula Blossom effectively conjures up Toms compulsively neat and tidy flat, and the shades-of-white palette picks up the colours of Sherry Coenen’s exuberant lighting design helping to transport us from disco, to bedroom to beach.
Tom (played effectively with nervy, obsessive energy by Guy Warren-Thomas) does by default have the smaller role but it is sensitively handled and LGBTQ audiences will appreciate the portrayal of a man increasingly bold in the exploration of his sexuality.
The weight of the play is on Max Rinehart’s shoulders and his performance, although patchy, more than delivers in sheer sex appeal, charisma and a powerful sense of cold calculation – you really believe he is an international rent boy assassin.
Is it too soon to dramatise this material for entertainment? We cannot know exactly what happened, but perhaps by telling and retelling these stories it will ensure the case is not forgotten, that justice will one day be served and we should jealously guard our hard won rights and freedoms.
www,vaultfestiival.com until February 3rd
REVIEW: JONNY WARD
