one4review | On 12, Aug 2023

Playing to sell out houses on two recent runs down south, this Bill Kenwright and Turbine Creatives production is a political comedy charting the rise and rise of Dominic Cumming as he tramples through the corridors of Westminster.

The play begins with Dom chatting to the audience and explaining that it’s all about algorithms and social media. Don’t ignore the data highlighting public opinion, or you’ll end up like the Royal Family trying, and failing, to understand Harry and Meghan. Cummings describes himself as a person of average abilities, but still manages to succeed in a sea of mediocrity. His rise was certainly meteoric and not without its controversies, and the play follows his explosive career from the days of David Cameron, through Brexit, Theresa May and fights with Carrie Johnson, until his final showdown with Boris Johnson. The beginning of the end of his political career was that infamous eye test in Barnard Castle. Along the way, we meet various well-portrayed characters, including Michael Gove, John Prescott and Nicola Sturgeon, until Boris bursts onto the stage and steals the show, like he always seems to do!

Overall, the action romps along, and the performances from Chris Porter as Dom and Tim Hudson as Boris are engaging and compelling. The script is excellent, laugh-out-loud funny in places and packed with political in-jokes. The audience loved it, and I would highly recommend catching this show, if you can get a ticket, and as long as you aren’t a mediocre politician!

4.5****

Reviewed by Howard
Assembly Rooms – Ballroom

Until 27th August (not 21st)