The shambolically short prime ministership of Mary Elizabeth Truss is obviously ripe for a send up. Writer Greg Wilkinson and director Anthony Shrubsall seize that opportunity with The Last Days of Liz Truss? (note the question mark) at The Other Palace. This easily entertaining show humorously charts Truss’s lifetime of egotism and vacuousness, although it lacks the extra bite that would make it truly satirical gold.
As the title suggests, the show takes us into the office of Liz Truss in the terminal phase of her leadership. Awaiting her imminent sacking, she has a moment to reflect on her political career, and we are therefore treated to an autobiographical narration of her life up until this point. From her early days as Contrary Mary in a Scottish schoolyard through to her rise to political stardom, we learn, whether we want to or not, what makes the United Kingdom’s shortest serving Prime Minister tick.
The sole live performer is Emma Wilkinson Wright as Truss, and she has a suitably commanding stage presence. Her Liz impression is more homage than exact imitation, but she finds enough detail to make it work. The only other cast member is Steve Nallon, who appears as a collection of other characters in pre recorded audio. His Spitting Image credentials shine through in several particularly enjoyable voice performances, especially as a ghostly Mrs Thatcher.
There are certainly laughs on offer, although much of the humour relies on the straightforward narration of events as they occurred. The assumption seems to be that these events were so chaotically buggered up in the first place that they remain inherently funny. It is not wrong. It is easy to giggle at the lettuce jokes and the immediate collapse of Truss’s much hyped mini budget.
However, all of this is simply material drawn from real life, and the play never manages to shock or surprise us with anything more insightful or cutting. The Last Days of Liz Truss? calls out for greater exaggeration, stronger caricature and far more bite. By focusing on the easiest possible targets, the production misses the opportunity to provoke bigger laughs or explore any deeper truths about the society and systems that allow someone like Liz Truss to rise to prominence.
It remains undeniably funny. Even so, there is a slight tonal mismatch, especially in the second act, where several scenes are played with more seriousness. It becomes unclear whether the audience is meant to feel sympathy for her. The humour also does only so much to counteract the tedium of listening to lengthy Trussian speeches about growth and free markets. Some sections are lifted directly from the real Liz Truss and sound exactly as monotonous as they did the first time.
The Last Days of Liz Truss? began its life on the pub theatre circuit, and a shorter and snappier version might have delivered a more powerful punch. It is certainly funny, and with a subject like this it could hardly fail to be, but it still falls short of becoming something more exciting.
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