In Rosie Holt: That’s Politainment!, Rosie Holt introduces us to a trio of characters: Rosie Holt – The Left-Wing Comedian; Harriet Langley Swindon – The Right-Wing Presenter; and possibly the most recognizable of them all, Rosie Holt – The Conservative MP, a figure who has gained significant online presence in recent years as the emergence and triumph of Rosie Holt can be attributed to the pandemic, finding its roots and success on Twitter.
Rosie Holt: That’s Politainment! delves into the expanding category of politicians as they transition from the corridors of Westminster to the realm of entertainment. The first character in this triad is Harriet Langley Swindon, a right-wing broadcaster and commentator who authored the book “Wokies, You Wankers.” The second character is Tory MP Rosie Holt, who, having gained prominence from her appearance on “I’m A Celebrity,” embarks on a new endeavour within the realm of showbiz: she shares her engagement story, humorously recalling her terror when her fiancé knelt down and she feared it might be a Black Lives Matter gesture and she also jokes about immigrants changing a light bulb, humorously asserting that none are needed since they can change their own light bulbs, advocating for restrictions on immigration. The third character, left-wing comedian Rosie Holt, aspires to become the new political equivalent of Fleabag, auditioning to impress a BBC comedy producer.
In Rosie Holt: That’s Politainment!, the satire is dense, drawing strength from improvisation but at times becoming overly intricate, almost laboriously digestible. Incredibly challenging is its communication with a certain type of very young and primarily non-British audience. While Holt confidently and sympathetically commands the stage with great dramatic force, her satire can occasionally come across as too calculated and specific. What comes easily to her on social media, leveraging the maximum immediacy and addressing an audience already engaged with one particular political trend, proves more challenging on stage before a vastly diverse audience.
Rosie Holt: That’s Politainment! is a delightful comedic interlude, cleverly written and meticulously crafted, yet lacking the ability to engage a broader audience and transcend beyond the purely British demographic.
