ONE late summer afternoon a successful middle-aged man sits peacefully with his wife on the verandah of their summer house while, somewhere below them, their grandchildren play together on the beach.
Half an hour later all communication with the outside world has been cut and the house is swarming with heavily armed officers. The man is Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the date is August 18, 1991.
Directed by Patrick Sandford, real-life husband and wife Julian Glover and Isla Blair lead a distinguished cast in Penny Gold's new play, The President's Holiday, which runs at The Nuffield until Saturday, March 8.
Both political thriller and personal drama, the play takes place at a pivotal moment of world history, telling the story of a family under siege and an idealist who unwittingly destroys everything for which he has fought.
The President's Holiday uses the diaries of Gorbachev's wife Raisa to present an intimate picture of the man whose efforts to save the Soviet Empire hastened its demise.
Tickets: £10 to £17.
Box office: 023 8067 1771 or nuffieldtheatre.co.uk
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