'Patriots': An oligarch vs. Vladimir Putin

‘PATRIOTS’: Michael Stuhlbarg. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

PATRIOTS
Written by Peter Morgan
Directed by Rupert Goold
Through June 23, 2024
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
243 West 47^th Street
https://patriotsbroadway.com/

By Scott Harrah

The battle for control of Russia between shady billionaire businessman Boris Berezovsky (Michael Stuhlbarg) and the infamous dictator Vladimir Putin (Will Keen) is the focus of Peter Morgan’s disturbing, ambitious and dark political epic Patriots. The show has transferred to Broadway after a successful West End run in London. At the helm of this production is acclaimed U.K. director Rupert Goold, known on this side of the Atlantic for such dramas as Ink, American Psycho and King Charles III. Mr. Morgan, best known for the Netflix phenomenon “The Crown,” the 2006 Hollywood hit The Queen with Helen Mirren and such Broadway dramas as The Audience, spins a gripping if somewhat lugubrious saga of how billionaire Berezovsky—a math prodigy as a child—grew up to become an ultra-wealthy oligarch during Boris Yeltsin’s regime. Berezovsky influenced Russian politics after the fall of the Soviet Union and even claimed to “create” Putin as a nefarious world leader.

Patriots unfolds at a manic pace in 1991, right after the USSR collapsed as an elite group of Russia’s corrupt businessmen created an oligarchy, hoping to use their wealth to buy power in a vast nation that spans 11 time zones. Pay close attention in the beginning of the first act because everyone delivers the dialogue at a rapid-fire tempo. We first see Berezovsky at the apex of his power, surrounded by three men he nurtures on his rise: handsome boy wonder Roman Abramovich (Luke Thallon); security officer Alexander Litvinenko (Alex Hurt); and the initially innocuous young Deputy Mayor of St. Petersburg, Vladimir Putin. At the time, Putin is simply a former KGB officer stuck in a powerless position and he wants help getting into the Kremlin. The chronology of the story jumps around, depicting Berezovsky’s childhood as a math genius and his time at university with Professor Perelman (Ronald Guttman), an influential academic in whom Berezovsky confides. Although the professor urges the student to stay in academia, Berezovsky chooses instead to get rich by any means necessary.

Patriots is a sweeping, colossal historical tale but the narrative is often scattershot and uneven. It will thrill history buffs and anyone interested in how post-Soviet Russia under Putin became the corrupt, war-mongering dictatorship it is today. However, the sheer scale and length of the story—taking us from Moscow to Siberia to Surrey, England—might be too awkward and overwhelming for some.

The unique set by Miriam Buether has multiple purposes, from a Kremlin desk to a bar to a casino and a national TV network that Berezovsky owns. Ms. Buether’s set provides a good anchor for a story that jumps around to different locations.

There is a lot going on here, but one thing is consistently engaging and that is Mr. Stuhlbarg’s portrayal of Boris Berezovsky. He is hyper, bombastic and emotionally charged at all times, and there is no question Mr. Stuhlbarg’s name will be among those nominated for a 2024 Tony Award. However, one truly has to be a fan of physical comedy because, at times, Mr. Stuhlbarg seems to overemote, especially in the final scenes of the show. This type of acting is something that British audiences appreciate more, while American theatergoers prefer more natural dramatic performances. Will Keen, as Vladimir Putin, is stoic evil incarnate—a cold, Shakespearean figure who displays all the creepiness and horror of the real man he plays.

Patriots is not nearly as focused as other dramas directed by Rupert Goold. Some of extemporaneous scenes could have been cut to fine-tune all the Machiavellian antics unfolding before us onstage. Regardless, Patriots is an insightful and eerie look at the rise of Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 22, 2024
Reviewed at April 19, 2024 press performance