I’m going to make this easier for me and just swipe the summary from the Theatre’s website:
May 2009. Gordon Brown’s Government is in meltdown and a General Election is just one year away. Labour backbencher Robert Houston loves being an MP and will do anything to save his seat – including change sides. All is going well with his switch from red to blue until, on the eve of his final interview with Sir Norman Cavendish, a Tory grandee, the Expenses Scandal breaks.
As public fury mounts over taxpayers’ millions being frittered away on second homes, hanging baskets, moat-cleaning and duck houses, Robert and his secretarial staff (aka wife Felicity, student son Seb, gorgeous girlfriend Holly and Russian housekeeper Ludmilla) find themselves in big, big trouble.
Now even without intimate knowledge of British politics this is a sharp tongued witty satire about how people in power start to abuse this power if nobody realises that. Unfortunately this is not something solely related to England. We have the same sort of politicians over here in Austria and it’s only safe to say they are in Germany and the rest of Europe/the world as well. It is however very British to turn a scandal into a brilliant comedy about tax evasion, a house for ducks, an apartment in London – used by the son’s girlfriend as a sado-maso playground to discipline sexually wayward — you guessed it — politicians – and a knighthood.
Ben Miller (of Death in Paradise) excels as Robert, who just wants to keep up with all the other boys in the playground… erm… politicians, and delivers his lines with a deadpan expression, double entendre and sarcasm that you can’t even be mad at his various slightly illegal schemes for a better life. It is hilarious, it is clever and after you left the theatre you suddenly go: wait a bit – that was all real!!! Oh, it’s also sold out! LOL
Theatre and me 