Rishi Sunak's Doing A Musical Review
Written by Bronagh for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
What is the first thing that comes to your head when you hear the name ‘Rishi Sunak’? Do you see dollar signs flash before your eyes? Do you think about how long you last had to wait for a doctor’s appointment? I would bet that one thing you definitely do not think about is the thought of Rishi Sunak in a musical. Written in the space of one month, writers Rob Gathercole and Joe Venable have stepped up and created Rishi Sunak's Doing A Musical, and when better to go and see it that a few days before the General Election!
We walk into the theatre to a playlist including songs such as Common People and, of course, Things Can Only Get Better. The stage is sparse, with just a few lights and a keyboard. The lights dim, and the spectacle begins…
The main word I would use to describe Rishi Sunak's Doing A Musical is hilarious. If I’m using two words, I’d say absolutely hilarious. The mannerisms of Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer were totally on point, impressive considering the cast only had a month to nail these. A special mention to Rob Gathercole’s Ed Davey, which was delightfully funny and actually, quite realistic too given his campaign escapades.
The music in Rishi Sunak's Doing A Musical is actually really catchy, particularly Things Can Only Get Slightly Better and Nigel Farage’s prance onto the stage.
The fact that Rishi Sunak's Doing A Musical was created in a month is amazing in itself, given that songs and scores had been created, mannerisms and impressions nailed, and a theatre booked. One bonus of creating a show so quickly is that it remains current and references aren’t outdated, from the reference to Keir Starmer’s father being a toolmaker and Jeremy Corbyn running as an Independent. These all delighted the audience, who were laughing out loud at every other line. We had other references to the Conservatives fourteen years in power, such as cuts to the arts and NHS waiting lists which were all too close to the bone.
My only criticism was towards the end of the show, where an AI machine was introduced to rewrite Rishi’s musical. I cannot deny some parts were funny, but I also felt like it dragged ever so slightly. We started on such a high with lots of momentum, and I felt things stagnated during this part of the show. However, I will say things soon picked up again for the finale.
Kuran Dhand and Katie Pritchard’s performances as Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer were hilarious from the get go. Rishi’s awkward Sim-like mannerisms were an absolute favourite of mine, almost like watching the man himself! Celeste Collier and Rob Gathercole play various parts, from two struggling artists to Nigel Farage to Liz Truss to, in a twist of events, The Unknown of the Willy Wonka Experience fame. The cast put on a cracking performance, clearly having a lot of fun.
Rishi Sunak's Doing A Musical is a great addition to the off-West End scene, which I think would do exceptionally well on a longer run. Well done to the cast and crew for pulling off a show which did not appear ‘hastily written’ at all, instead creating a total audience pleaser.
At Waterloo East Theatre until 6th July 2024.
★ ★ ★ ★
