BREXIT, the play premiered at this years Edinburgh festival, and with its bold simple title, and a subject matter as current and controversial as Brexit this London production is certain to sell out Audiences who go hoping for some new insight or clarity, as yet unexplained to the public, will come out none the wiser, because, like the Brexit debate itself, there is no simple solution.In the opening scene it is clear that the new Prime Minister, Adam Masters (Timothy Bentinck) still has no plan!
It is 2020 and four years on from the referendum, and the twenty month transitional arrangement is in its third year. The Prime Minister’s campaign manager and friend (Paul Connell) outlines the need for a clear proposal, but Masters is not prepared to be that decisive in case it jeopardises his position as PM. Instead he appoints the smarmy Eurosceptic Simon Cavendish (played with relish by Thom Tuck) as Secretary of State for International Trade and Remainer, Diana Purdy (Pippa Evans) as Secretary Of State for Exiting the EU in the hope that their opposing standpoints will stall any decision, for which he would be responsible, for as long as possible.
Between the scenes of Tory backbiting the PM meets with Helena Brandt, Chief EU Negotiator, (Lucy Montgomery) and the painful truth of Britain's lack of bargaining power since the triggering of Article 50 is laid bare.
Masters game of 'political jenga' backfires when Cavendish resigns after learning that Purdy's plan of perpetual transition is to be adopted and his own dossier has been resigned to the PM's bin. With a vote of no confidence looming Masters is forced to ask what many have, 'Could we just reverse it, pretend it never happened?'
The sharp writing by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky seems painfully truthful and the short scenes remind one of a TV sitcom. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and with a 75 minute straight running time, plenty of time to continue the Brexit debate over a drink or two!
Henry Goodman leads a company of four in Park Theatre’s latest offering - Joanna Murray-Smith’s 1995 play HONOUR - which effectively demonstrates that a strongly written script always retains emotional currency.