Cool view of Revolution

Maxim Gorky's astonishing drama of employers and workers at dangerous, pre-revolutionary odds in Russia a century ago, with prophetic intimations of the political storm to come, had its only London production in 1971: by then it was six decades since the Russian premiere and recognised as one of those neglected Gorky plays that look back to Chekhov in mood and forward to the Revolution in content.

With its cast of nearly 20 characters and an episodic structure, Enemies makes big demands of director and actors. Michael Attenborough's slightly off-colour production, located by designer Simon Higlett in a bleak, lime-tree laden garden redolent of Chekhov, does not really capture the rising tension of the first act or sustain it in the second. And some performances betray signs of caricature or miss their inherent, comic potential.

Yet the fascination of Enemies keeps its hold in David Hare's fluent new version. In place of Chekhov's political optimism and aspiration, the lash of confrontation is heard. Despite his status as a revolutionary agitator, Gorky scarcely sentimentalises his workers or demonises the employers.

Conflict, though, simmers beyond the garden and finally erupts in it. Sean Chapman's suitably limp, liberal Zakhar Bardin, the owner of a factory who prefers to look on himself as a land-owner, leaves the main business to his managing director, Mikhail.

Sean Gilder's Mikhail, prepared to flex his managerial muscles by closing the factory and enduring a strike after workers demand the sacking of a foreman, sets up the confrontation that leads to the army's intervention. Death and the annexation of the Bardin's family home for a court-hearing that puts justice to mockery and some of the workers in leg-irons, follow on.

Gorky, and this gives Enemies its emotionally complex timbre and vitality, does not succumb to obvious political partiality in the dispute between capital and labour: the clerk, Sintsov, all inscrutable self-confidence in Toby Kebbell's impressive performance, offers his life to the workers' cause without a flicker of histrionics.

Unlike the sympathetic but spineless Zakhar, his wife Polina,to whom Amanda Root lends an air of commanding hauteur, detests the workers and regards Socialism as an alien affliction.

Her niece Nadya (Jodie Whittaker) blazes with ardour for the workers. Zakhar's brother, a raddled alcoholic succumbing to lethargy whom Jack Davenport plays beautifully in tones of muted despair, would rally to them.

His wife Tatyana (Amanda Drewboth magnificently watchable and a sultry provocateur) envisages the political future with cool realism. The Enemies of the title are, of course, the landowning liberals. A theatrical landmark.

Until 24 June (020 7359 4404).

Enemies