Overview

Maggie Smith and Edward Fox triumphed in London's West End in this play about the eternal confrontation between East and West. Nadia is an old maidish Russian translator in the Foreign Office. She is therefore intimately involved in negotiations over the forthcoming visit of the Soviet President. The English translator for the Russians, Viktor, visits her flat to pick up a copy of a play to see if it is suitable fare for his leader; and we learn to our surprise that the two are ex lovers who once had a torrid affair in New York. Viktor claims he wants to defect and live with Nadia; and she must decide whether he is a devious manipulator trying to use their friendship to further his own political ends or whether he actually does love her.