28 April – 30 May
Just over forty years ago, co-authors Rick Elice and Roger Rees found themselves snowed in one wintry weekend at Trevor Nunn’s house in Stratford-upon-Avon. Unable to leave the house, they set about writing a play instead: Double Double went on to premiere at the West End’s Fortune Theatre in 1986. Four decades later, this clever and gripping thriller has been revived and reimagined for contemporary audiences at Cirencester’s Barn Theatre.
Double Double reunites two former stars of TV’s Coronation Street for a tense double-hander which showcases both stars’ extensive stage credentials as well as their versatility as performers. Faye Brookes plays Philippa, recently widowed after the untimely death of her husband Richard just weeks before he is due to inherit a fortune in his mother’s will on his fortieth birthday. Daniel Brocklebank stars as Duncan, a homeless Scot who just happens to bear a strong resemblance to Philippa’s dearly departed. And so begins an ambitious plot to pass Duncan off as Richard in order to secure the fortune.
It takes a significant leap of the imagination for us to believe this is even remotely plausible in the mere six days before Richard’s pre-planned birthday party, or that the deceased’s good friends would even be fooled, or more still that Richard’s doppelganger just happens to be conveniently shuffling by in the first place, his apparent uncanny similarities disguised by woolly hat, lanky matted hair, extensive beard and broad Kilmarnock accent. And yet we willingly suspend our disbelief as we succumb to the unfolding drama and intrigue because, let’s be honest, we love a good thriller. For as director Ryan McBryde suggests, “…thrillers grip us because they invite us into a game, one where perception is unstable, truth is slippery and we’re never entirely sure who to trust”. The play’s Shakespearean heritage is reflected in its title, and as with Macbeth, a tragedy where “fair is foul and foul is fair”, appearance and reality in Double Double prove to be two very different things.
The transition from 1986 to 2026 is aided by an impressive combination of Ethan Cheek’s ultra-modern set with a mirrored back wall, Jonathan Chan’s atmospheric lighting and sound designer Mark Melville’s subtle, understated score. Modern innovations such as voice-activated lights, AI assistants and iPads are woven cleverly into the plot rather than simply bolted on to add contemporary technological gloss. The increasing tension and intrigue play out well on the Barn’s smaller stage, the whole production lending itself perfectly to the venue’s intimate auditorium.
There is a genuine chemistry and warmth which develops between the two leads, interspersed with some moments of humour and wit which, rather than dissipating any dramatic tension, help to create a believable double act where we are simultaneously rooting for the con to succeed and love to flourish, whilst also remaining suspicious of each character’s true intentions, a narrative enigma which keeps us guessing right to the very end. In a gender inversion of My Fair Lady – knowingly alluded to in the script – Brookes’ Henry Higgins character transforms the roguish Duncan into a plummy male Doolittle – I half expected “the rain in Spain” and “By Jove! He’s got it!” – but both leads play their roles with considerable relish and a huge sense of fun. Yet this remains very much a thriller, and as with all good ones, it is all about delivering the unexpected twist in the tale and trying to solve the puzzle for ourselves…as most of the audience here were certainly trying to do in the interval. But it is an ending which is well worth the wait.
★★★★☆ Tony Clarke 6 May 20265
Photographers credit @ Alex Tabrizi
