Democracy is set in West Germany in 1969 and centers on Willy Brandt and his assistant, Günter Guillaume. Brandt begins his brief but remarkable career as the first left-of-center Chancellor for nearly 40 years.. Always present but rarely noticed is Guillaume, Brandt's devoted personal assistant—and no less devoted in his other role, spying on Brandt for the Stasi.
Democracy, directed by Michael Blakemore, ran at the National Theatre's Cottesloe Theater August 30 through December 30, 2003. It then played another limited engagement at NT's larger Lyttelton space from March 8 through March 27 before transferring to its current home, Wyndham's Theatre in the West End, on April 20.
The Evening Standard's Nicholas de Jongh wrote of the show: “What a rare brand of theatrical excitement Michael Frayn generates in this beautiful, award winning play of his… Democracy gives the West End a touch of intellectual class. For the play does an unusual theatrical thing. It jolts your settled mental assumptions. It invites you to think rather than just to feel.”
In the West End, Democracy stars Roger Allam as Brandt and Conleth Hill as Guillaume. However, unlike Jumpers the National Theatre transfer currently running at the Brooks Atkinson with its London leads, Democracy is expected to be recast for the American production.
A production spokesperson could not confirm a venue for Democracy.
