Robert Eades as the Soviet fighter pilot Roman Matvejeve in Firebrand [Geraint Lewis]

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RICHARD Hough’s engaging play draws on a true cold war love story, based on the memoir by Sergey Fetisov and subsequent screenplay by Peeter Rebane and Tom Prior.

Set in the late 1970s, Private Sergey Serebrennikov (Theo Walker) falls for dashing Soviet fighter pilot Roman Matvejev (Robert Eades) while on mandatory conscription in occupied Estonia.

They share a friendship with Luisa (Sorcha Kennedy), an Estonian secretary on the air force base, and the three friends are closely watched over by their hawkish commanding officer, Colonel Kuznetsov (Nigel Hastings).

When the two men embark on a clandestine affair, Kuznetsov warns them against continuing a relationship, pointing out that they risk five years hard labour if they are caught.

After Roman has a flying accident that nearly kills him, the pair go their separate ways. Sergey, at the end of his conscription, moves to Moscow to study drama.

A year or so later, Roman finds a desk job there and persuades Sergey to move in with him. He has no idea that Roman has already married Luisa until she turns up on their doorstep.

Meanwhile, Kuznetsov continues to monitor the men in Moscow, to what end is never clear, and takes Luisa under his paternal wing.

Individually, Walker and Matvejev look their parts and give compelling performances but their lack of chemistry saps tension.

Igor Stravinsky’s score is referenced but never feels integral to the plot.

Hough’s bitty script and Owen Lewis’s brisk production would have benefited from longer scenes allowing more emotional depth to develop between the characters.

Nevertheless, the performances are heartfelt and Firebird is a cracking story that deserves a wide audience.

Until February 9
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