This House

I really can't praise this play enough. A brilliant captivating and funny night out. Its set in Westminster during the years in the Seventies when we lurched from one hung Parliament to another. The action is all in the whips offices as they try to get people through the lobbies to support or oppose the Government, bullying rebels, cosying up to minority parties and hauling in the ill and insane. I know that doesn't sound too entertaining me, but trust me it was. Great script, great acting, great set. The script neatly avoids "politics" as such - its not what is right or wrong that counted, but getting bills through. At any cost. The absurdity is beautifully highlighted, as is the hard drinking hard smoking hard swearing tricks of the labour whips. (My favourite line was the labour chief whip apologizing to the new female whip with "Sorry about the f***ing language, luv."

The cast aren't particularly well known, apart maybe from Phil Daniels as the first chief whip, but they treat the play with great vim and vigour.

The set is arranged so the House is the floor between the two banks of the audience, with the lower tiers (such as ourselves) actually sitting in the government or opposition benches, joined every now and then by the actors. At one end is the impression of Big Ben. You had to see it. They even had a Commons Bar which was not only part of the set but also served drinks to the audience at the interval.

And on top of that Nigel and I could remember all the events recorded in meticulous detail. They just weren't so funny at the time.

Comfortably the best play I have seen all year. Transferring to the Olivier next year. Go. You won't regret it. I promise.