Alan Bennett’s double bill focuses on two members of the intriguing Cambridge spying ring.

It gives us a fascinating insight into the extraordinary worlds of Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt – one holed up in a dingy Moscow bedsit, the other hanging out with the Queen.

In An Englisman Abroad, double agent Burgess (Theo Fraser Steele) has defected to Russia and is living in Moscow.

The play revolves around his meeting with actress Coral Browne (Karen Ascoe), who was performing Hamlet in the city, with Michael Redgrave.

But this is no James Bond liaison. Forget smooth-talking enigmatic spies, Burgess dishes up a tomato and raw garlic for lunch in a drab, messy room and discusses the problems he has with Russian dentures.

Meanwhile, fellow Russian spy Sir Anthony (James Duke), in A Question of Attribution, is centre stage in the London art world.

The charismatic respected art historian is Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures. A role he embraces with great relish, enjoying long chats in the corridors of Buckingham Palace with Her Majesty (Karen Ascoe) about paintings, forgeries and their importance – or not.

This double bill is an intriguing, clever, thought-provoking production, with lots of that brilliant Bennett wit.

It focuses on fascinating subjects – the spying underworld, art history, Russia and British high society, with a fabulous selection of characters.

All six actors take on their different roles with great skill and talent. The clever direction, set and lighting heightens the drama.

Theo Fraser Steele excels as Burgess and a London cop. Karen Ascoe is perfect as the delightfully direct Queen.

There was a long dialogue between her and the brilliantly played Sir Anthony (up a ladder part of the time), in the palace corridor, and surrounded by classic paintings.

While it all sounds rather surreal, the two of them made it seem completely natural.

A great night’s entertainment which draws you into a fascinating period of history.

Single Spies runs until October.

Tracy Walker