By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Wednesday 23 September, opens 29 September and runs through 12 December 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

This is the story of John Maynard Keynes, considered one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, who turned his back on a life of homosexuality as part of the Bloomsbury Group and married a Russian ballerina.

• Read on for reasons including how this story is probably more for James Graham die-hard fans only rather than a mainstream audience

It’s subject matter which goes further back in history than usual for inspiration by James Graham, who won our Best New Play monsta last year for Punch and boasts Nicholas Hytner (Richard II, Bridge Theatre) at its helm.

We sense a nervousness from 1 of our favourite authors in the opening scene as Keynes tries to explain his theory to an audience – us – with the help of his baffled artist lover Duncan Grant.

Keynes believed the government should intervene when times were hard, spending on infrastructure for example in the belief that this expenditure would stimulate growth earlier than the alternative, a ‘laissez faire’ waiting for any problem to be ridden out or correct itself whatever the human cost to workers just seeking a ‘good life’,

It’s a philosophy which has come in and out of fashion and is believed to have informed the more recent thinking of US president Barack Obama and the UK’s Gordon Brown while being at odds with familiar Graham subject foe Margaret Thatcher.

Keynesian theory then is a left wing approach to economic depression and it’s only really thanks to the humanising effect of his unlikely romance with real-life Russian ballerina Lydia Lopokova, played here by prima ballerina Natalia Osipova whose diction is perhaps not quite as clear as it might be although her dancing definitely enchants this piece, that we imagine this play got staged at all.

Rory Kinnear (Force Majeure, Donmar) is Keynes who impressed with a mastery of a lot of dialogue about complicated economic theories although was a little less believable as a man who documented all of his very many gay sexual encounters at a time when it was illegal in the early 20th century.

Graham’s writing is always entertaining and we enjoyed that Kinnear’s civil servant was the Bloomsbury black sheep rather shaming a Group who were supposed to represent rallying against the norm.

There’s also a timely nod to the importance of the arts and how funding theatre can enrich the souls of those who frequent in a way that is very hard to quantify financially but does contribute to the importance of living a ‘good life’ that Keynes was so keen to espouse.

Graham’s output is so prolific – the National recently announced a new play of his about the life of John Major and the Danny Boyle-directed film of his Ink plays at the London Film Festival next month – meaning he’s occasionally likely to misfire and this is it.

The Standard Of Living is an interesting evening in the company of a man whose story may have some influence over the way we live our lives today but is probably more for James Graham die-hard fans only rather than a mainstream audience.

• Pictures via Facebook courtesy Theatre Royal Haymarket Tickets
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