Metamorph Theatre and Enough Helen Productions’ Right Dishonourable Friend makes a pointed political assertion on the VAULT Festival
“5 minutes with the Northerners and they’ll be calling me the ‘People’s Princess’”
No matter which occasion is in (any) authorities, one factor appears to be sure and that’s political sleaze is bound to comply with. Whether Partygate, tax payments and loans, accusations of bullying or a complete lot extra, one thing in regards to the energy of Westminster attracts out the worst in so many. Right Dishonourable Friend follows one such particular person – Perdita, the model new MP for the fictional East Lancashire city of Ardenton.
The grand complete of her {qualifications} for the function is the straightforward proven fact that she’s the daughter of a former Home Secretary and as she’s parachuted in from her London residence, she will get a impolite awakening to the realities of life on the Pennine Moors. With Dan, a sceptical communications supervisor, and Sharon, her Corrie-obsessed assistant to win over first, we then comply with what might possibly, presumably, be the event of a political conscience as she adopts Dan’s ardour mission of addressing the woeful lack of LGBTQ+ help companies within the area.
Written by Phoebe Batteson-Brown and Eoin McKenna, Right Dishonourable Friend straddles the comedy/drama with ease, for essentially the most half. Batteson-Brown’s Perdita is one thing of a straightforward goal for humour however is reliably humorous in her awfulness and as McKenna’s Dan drags her into a spot of at the least a bit consciousness, the event of their relationship is slightly engrossing. The arrival of queer teen Alex on the finish of considered one of Perdita’s surgical procedures throws up a large wrinkle although.
Kayla Feldman’s clear-sighted manufacturing is astute sufficient to respect the queer trauma it depicts, at the same time as the guts sinks at its enduring relevance (Brianna Ghey’s homicide a working example – Rest in Pride). And Rachael Hilton delivers a masterclass in fast adjustments as she flips repeatedly between three supporting characters (I’d watch a spin-off about Big Chell in a heartbeat). The solely query I had is how Dan squared his small-P political rules with serving within the constituency workplace of an MP within the sitting authorities and certainly the greedy realities of political ambition ought to come as little shock to an skilled comms officer? Regardless, nice to see corporations unafraid to deal with large political questions within the VAULT format.