BWW Reviews: THE PATRIOTIC TRAITOR, Park Theatre, February 24 2015
The Patriotic Traitor is the story of close friends Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain, who despite sharing a love of France wind up on opposing sides during World War II.
Pétain, a tough, stubborn, unconventional soldier, and General de Gaulle, his academic and socially awkward counterpart, make for an interesting partnership that offers up a few comic moments. However, considering the context, the script is mostly uneventful and never takes off with any dramatic momentum.
This is a boardroom drama, full of academic argument and war talk, pieced together with excruciatingly slow scene changes.
The show boasts an impressive cast, led by Olivier Award-winner Tom Conti and Lewis actor Laurence Fox - both of whom were good, of course, but the material didn't allow them to be much better.
Nevertheless, this play depicts an important time in history and has a go at exploring who decides a man's legacy. Traitor or patriot? A relevant argument, but in this instance, I'm not sure we cared.
Reader Reviews
|
It Comes in Waves Sheringham Little Theatre (7/03-7/03) |
|
G4 Christmas 2026 - Chichester Cathedral Chichester Cathedral (11/27-11/27) |
|
The Signalman The valley of Rocks (7/17-9/04) |
|
AIRBAG at O2 Academy2 - Birmingham O2 Academy Birmingham (10/23-10/23) |
|
HED PE and COLD at The Dome - London The Dome (10/08-10/08) |
|
Starbrooke Bonkers Bingo 90's Theme Total Chaos Gomersal Park Hotel (6/26-6/26) |
|
Funhouse Comedy Club - Comedy Night in Ashby-de-la-Zouch November 2026 The Lyric Rooms (11/04-11/04) |
|
Norwich Comedy Garden: Sara Pascoe & David O''Doherty Chapelfield Gardens (7/04-7/04) |
|
Burn the Floor: Supernova Caird Hall (7/11-7/11) |
|
Sounds of the 60s at Verwood Hub Friday 18 September 2026 - Verwood Verwood Hub (9/18-9/18) |