Taking Sides

Ronald Harwood's 1995 hit Taking Sides - playing in rep with his latest play Collaboration at the Duchess Theatre - is a fascinating exploration of the role of art under an evil regime, taking conductor William Furtwangler as its focus. Both plays have "the thrilling tension of courtroom dramas" (The Daily Telegraph) - Furtwangler faces post-war interrogation over claims of supporting the Nazis - but they also confront the thorny issue of trying to remain outside the system, apolitical and aloof. "Taken together", said The Telegraph, "they form one exhilarating political debate". There will always be comparison with two plays so alike in subject matter running concurrently, but there have been allegations that the case in Taking Sides is weighted heavily in Furtwangler's favour by having "a philistine American major" (The Guardian) as the chief interrogator. Still, this is a proper tension-building drama and with Michael Pennington bringing "a superb wounded hauteur" (The Guardian) to the role of Furtwangler and David Horovitch giving a "powerful performance" (The Independent) as the major, it's a top pick.