Complicit

Genre: Drama
Opened 28 Jan 2009
Written: by Joe Sutton
Directed: Kevin Spacey
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss (Ben Kritzer), David Suchet (Roger Cowan) , Elizabeth McGovern (Judith Brown)
Produced by: Old Vic
Synopsis: An American play that explores our current political climate. Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Ben Kritzer (Richard Dreyfuss) is hauled before the Supreme Court where he faces the dilemma of defending his belief in the freedom of the press or protecting his family.

What the popular press had to say.....
BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "He [Richard Dreyfuss] was quite a success: which was, sadly, more than could be said about the play...Oh well, at least Sutton's sometimes crackling, sometimes lapidary dialogue gets one thinking about journalistic ethics and political responsibility." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "With Complicit, artistic director Kevin Spacey once again exposes his Achilles heel - his apparent inability to distinguish between good new plays and absolute stinkers... He [Richard Dreyfuss] is still visibly wearing an ear-piece prompt...This seems adversely to affect the rhythm and attack of the whole production...But he shouldn't shoulder all the blame. The play itself is a dead loss." NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Pedestrian, ill-timed play about an American journalist threatened with prison if he fails to disclose his source for a story about the US government's role in permitting some of its terrorist suspects to be killed...Dreyfuss gives a fairly assured, fluent, suitably agonised performance." JEREMY AUSTIN for THE STAGE says, "A courtroom drama that lacks both a courtroom and any drama." QUENTIN LETTS for THE DAILY MAIL says, "A wordy, not wildly gripping play about journalistic ethics." SARAH HEMMING for THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "It's dated, both in style and subject, confusing and ponderous, and manages to turn a fistful of urgent subjects into a damp squib."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Times
Financial Times
Daily Telegraph

Originally published on

Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock exclusive London theatre updates!

Special offers, reviews and release dates for the best shows in town.

You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy