Watching a play about Liz Truss, Britain's shortest-serving Prime Minister, might seem as appealing as dental surgery. After all, you may be dealing with the repercussions of her fifty-day leadership, such as higher mortgage rates. You might also be familiar with the term "moron risk premium," coined by an economist to describe the impact of having Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in charge. Consequently, revisiting this time in 2022 may not seem like an enticing subject for a theatrical production.
However, writer Greg Wilkinson’s unique portrayal of select aspects of Truss’s life, alongside a standout performance by Emma Wilkinson Wright, makes this a compelling work. While Wright doesn’t physically resemble Truss, she delivers a performance that captures her mannerisms, awkwardness, and platitudes. The play is currently at the White Bear Theatre.
Presented as a monologue, Wright performs at a desk, on it, or even in a chair while singing karaoke—one of Truss's favourite pastimes. The production chronicles Truss's remarkable ascent through the ranks of Conservative politics, culminating in her opportunity to lead when Boris Johnson resigned. What remains unclear is why her colleagues and party considered her a serious candidate amid a cost of living crisis and war in Europe, given her track record to date. She seemed more focused on rhetoric than evidence, adopting contrarian views or talking nonsense about cheese to attract attention from an undemanding conservative press. With so many bonkers quotes from Truss, it makes excellent fodder for theatre but doesn't answer why she was the only choice offered by her party.
The play includes various noteworthy lines, such as her remark about MP Mark Field mentoring her to the brink of her marriage ending. And how her plans come to a halt while the nation mourns the death of its monarch. While her economic plan to cut taxes without reducing spending seems like an afterthought, the narrative creates the impression of a false choice between Truss's bold actions and allowing Britain to remain a low-growth economy instead of highlighting she was someone in over their head. Or, as the economists put it, just a moron.
At this point, the play starts to falter and drag. However, with a few edits, focusing on Truss's words and inactions, it could underscore what it takes to succeed in today's political landscape. It could prompt us to consider that being bold and saying anything—regardless of how nonsensical—gets you ahead. And maybe her best days, like those of other failed leaders, lie ahead.
Directed by Anthony Shrubsall, "The Last Days of Liz Truss" is running at the White Bear Theatre until December 14. It deserves a longer run to outlast Truss's premiership—or perhaps the shelf life of a lettuce.
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Photos by Tristram Kenton
