Review: THE LAST DAYS OF LIZ TRUSS at The Other Palace

Such an invitation to review a production which promises to mercilessly mock the infinitely mockable -- in this case the stilted and ridiculous woman who ascended the greasy pole of Tory infighting to clinch the top job in British politics, was irresistible. I should perhaps come clean and divulge that since studying Economics, Business Studies, and Government and Politics as a student during Thatcher's years, I was (and continue to be) somewhat left leaning in my politics. I believe that for a vital and flourishing arts scene to exist, it is necessary to have both public and private funding. So, it was with a wry sense of anticipation that I journeyed to The Other Palace in Victoria to experience the one woman play publicised by means of a poster depicting a gormless individual holding a smiling lettuce in front of a fridge!

Certainly a lot of ground is covered, from Truss's early days as a combative and contrary youngster in a socialist household, before she dipped her rebellious toes in the Lib Dems camp and thence down into the sinister Stygian depths of deepest darkest Torydom. Mentors such as Thatcher loom large over her shoulder as she works her way through promotions to junior minister, demotions from the cabinet and eventually to virtually everybody's surprise, the top job. There is almost a sense that had Her Majesty not inconsiderately popped her clogs just days after Truss had ascended the highest office of state, that she might still be there today.

The notion that the economy's collapse (leaving pensioners and mortgage holders in dire straights for years to come) was the fault of others, is writ large in the shows presentation of a lack of culpability, accountability and responsibility shown by this featherbrained central nincompoop whose major policy achievement seems to have been the giving of a lamentably inept and embarrassing speech to party conference about cheese! As the performance continued to unpick the self-delusion which surrounded the Trumpian playbook of changing major economic policy on a whim without consultation with the markets, things eventually crash. Sporadically, figures from the period - notably Kwasi Kwarteng - are delivered by an unseen voice belonging to Steve Nallon in Greg Wilkinson's recently extended play, and the whole is directed by Anthony Shrubsall.

In truth, I didn't find a great deal of it especially amusing, (perhaps the detail is still too raw?) but the light groaning and nods of recognition from the largely middle-aged white males ranged about the audience, was encouraging. I suspect even most Conservative Party members these days would prefer to consign Liz Truss's political contribution into the abyss. Her appointment suggested a party not yet fully capable of accepting a non-white leader, (which eventually became a necessity with Rishi Sunak's ascendancy to the role) but still she represents a pathetic clown-like figure for whom most can muster only scant sympathy. A career politician with minimal ideas, a dearth of experience and a legacy of disaster. What an epitaph. THE LAST DAYS OF LIZ TRUSS which throws all these things under an unforgiving spotlight, continues at The Other Palace until 15th March. It will serve to comically and energetically remind you of the sh*t-show, if you dare relive it. Runs just shy of 2 hours with an interval.