WATER : AN ENTERTAINING TRUE LIFE SPY STORY

WATER by Mark Langham is a highly entertaining portrayal of the life of Carl Hans Lody, who was totally unsuited to the role he found himself in as German spy in Britain at the start of World War One. Stephen Lloyd Coombs is perfect in the role of Lody – a patriot, a gentleman and a hopeless spy. Lloyd Coombs makes us feel affection for this man thrown into international espionage with little or no training and we hope somehow his fate will be different from the inevitable after his capture.         

Lloyd-Coombs tells the life story of Lody from his childhood, being orphaned, working in the navy and commercial ships until he is eventually recruited by German Naval Intelligence and sent to England under a false American ID. Here his troubles multiply as he haplessly tries to send information back to Germany,

The other three actors beautifully manage to play a total of 45 characters and each is distinctive and adds life and breath to the show. Lib Campbell is wonderful as she plays all the female, and a number of male roles, from Louise Storz, his heiress wife, the marriage lasing only a couple of months, to cranky Edinburgh landlady and a “lady friend” he meets on a train.

Mark Langham and Tristan Black keep the pace racing both playing a great variety of navy, police and intelligence roles on both sides of the war. Their ability to switch parts keeps the audience riveted from start to finish as the ever-changing mood of the play brings humour, pathos, and the understanding that people on both sides of the conflict have the same human emotions.

A very simple set and props are all these talented actors need to present this endearing story of a spy that everyone found hard to dislike irrespective of their allegiances.

For a great night of theatre be quick to see WATER playing at the Fringe HQ – New Blood Theatre 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point