“Winner’s Curse” is an uncomfortably apposite title for this topical political satire that so nearly succeeds

Everything we do is a process that involves some concession and compromise. That’s the premise of this brave collaboration by Israeli ambassador and Middle East peace negotiator Daniel Taub and writer/producer Dan Patterson (Mock the Week), with narration by TV presenter Clive Anderson.

Among other things, the question of what makes a play is brought to the table and the result is an ‘interactive’ comedy drama about two (fictional) countries, Karvistan and Moldavia, fighting over a strip of land. The eponymous ‘curse’ is the notion that winning too easily debases the victor's achievements – in this case a matter of international importance given that the players are peace negotiators trying to defuse mounting tensions. 

Anderson plays the role of veteran diplomat Hugo Leitski, using his address on receiving a peace prize to look back at his first assignment. Constantly on the move around designer Isobel Nicolson’s spare and versatile space, the Whose Line Is It Anyway? host quickly establishes the vital participation required of the audience that puts us centre stage at carefully judged points in the action. We get to negotiate with our neighbours, the idea being that we feel the give and take of real-world diplomacy. It creates a jovial atmosphere in the auditorium, but does little to add to the drama. 

There is no doubt that director Jez Bond has assembled a crack cast to act out the scenes from the rather less glamorous start of Leitski’s career. As a teenager on work experience thanks to an influential uncle, he is constantly belittled by his supposed mentor, seasoned diplomat Anton Korsakov, who insists on addressing him as ‘Lightweight’. Played by Michael Maloney, Korsakov's dourness never disappoints and indeed proves hilarious at carefully judged moments. Pity poor young Leitski then, but rejoice at the beginnings of a promising career for the actor portraying him – 18-year-old Arthur Conti, a member of the National Youth Theatre who's already dipped his toe in American waters as the Queen's page in HBO's House of the Dragon. He’s entirely convincing as the aspiring and determined young diplomat – watching, listening, learning – and tactfully contributing to the peace efforts. His rapport with Maloney is a joy to watch.

Leaning across the table, the opposing factions are led by Barrie Rutter’s loud and fearsome General Marek Gromski and Winnie Arhin’s determined and unyielding Rozhina Flintok. The rickety table itself is almost a character, but cannot upstage its owner, Vaslika Krenskaya, played by the wonderfully watchable Nichola McAuliffe with a convincing combination of Central European grit and real allure. A precariously balanced urn, containing the ashes of her late husband, adds to the comic mix, and a late arrival in the stalled action is Greg Lockett’s American mediator Tyler, determined to play a deciding part in conflict resolution as befits the USA. 

So does art imitate life successfully here? Do the creators even mean it to do so? I doubt it as I look closer at Krenskaya’s first name (pronounced Varse-licker), which gives a clue to the earthy and, at times, contrived nature of the comedy. There are running jokes that run so hard they slow down the action. A bit of trimming from its current 145 minutes would work wonders and could even make it into the big topical hit it so nearly is.

By Judi Herman

Photos by Alex Brenner

Winner’s Curse runs until Saturday 11 March. 7.30pm, 3pm (Sat only). £17.50-£44.50. Park Theatre, N4 3JP. parktheatre.co.uk