The Russian Interpreter

Michael Frayn

It all takes place in Moscow in the 1960s. Paul Manning is attempting to complete his thesis "The Experience of Decentralization in the Administration of Public Utilities". Bored with his studies he begins two new projects - a half-hearted love affair with local Russian girl, Raya, and some part-time interpreting work for visiting English businessman Gordon Proctor-Gould.

Quickly the two projects collide and Raya transfers her affections from our dull protagonist to the slightly more lively (but still rather tweedy and shabby) Proctor-Gould. Raya speaks no English and Proctor-Gould has no Russian so both are dependent on a grumpy (as well he might be) Paul Manning for communication. This is the basis of Michael Frayn's title and provides most of the comic material for the book.

I thought it was rather a limp comedy. At one stage P-G and Manning are discussing, awkwardly, Raya and the need for contraception and P-G learns that the issue hadn't really arisen for Manning. P-G says "but I thought you two had been pals". "Not such good pals as all that" Manning stiffly replies. It's quite sweet and it's quite English but up till that moment I had assumed that the comic value in the Raya character (who is definitely the best thing about the whole book) had been that she was rogering both the Englishmen senseless.

I'm not sure whether Frayn thought he was writing a comic farce or a low key cold war thriller. It doesn't really work as either but this was early Frayn (published 1966) so maybe he was just finding his range.