Whipping it Up (2011)
Directed by Caroline Doyle
Performances: Tue 3rd to Saturday 7th May 2011, Bell Theatre
Contents
Introduction
Westminster runs the country but the Whips control Westminster.
It’s a week before Christmas, and the new Tory government is facing dissent over its latest Bill. With a precarious majority, the Whips’ office is out in full force, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep their MPs voting true blue.
But they’re in for a long night: boy scouts are rioting in Whitehall, five Tory rebels are on the loose, the Chief Whip’s standing in for Santa and the Deputy Chief Whip for the Opposition will do all in her power to bring them to their knees.
Premiered at The Bush Theatre, London, with Terry Johnson directing a cast led by Richard Wilson, the scandalously funny Whipping It Up blows the lid off the Despatch box and reveals the true secrets locked in the Whips’ safe.
This play could be described as a cross between “Yes, Minister” and “The Thick of It” but that wouldn’t do it justice. It’s funny and fast paced, with enough twists and turns to keep the audience guessing the entire time. It’s a small but perfectly formed slice of life in the Whips’ Office and is guaranteed to entertain.
Cast
ALASTAIR – Playing age forty-five, Deputy Chief Whip for the Government. Alistair is described in the play as “an immaculate, tanned reptile in a grey flannel suit. He owns the space.” I see him as supremely self-confident without conceit. A player, he radiates calm. He knows what he’s doing and where he is all the time. Except, perhaps, where Delia’s concerned.
GUY – Playing age thirty-six, Backbench Government MP Described as a having “a fizzy mixture of eagerness and nerves” on entering the Whips’ office. Guy works hard as an MP. He is a small fish in a big pond and about to find out that he’s swimming with sharks.
TIM – Playing age thirty-four, Junior Whip for the Government Described as “an attractive young man in a razor-sharp suit. He has a strong London accent and a streetwise confidence.” He’s a bit of a lad. Fast-talking, hard-dealing. His dad is an extremely wealthy self-made man, a working class Tory and Tim’s been encouraged into politics. But is he there because it’s a foot on the ladder of power or does he really care about the Party above all else?
MAGGIE – Playing age twenty-seven, researcher for the Government Described as “a petite young woman in a formal skirt and blouse with a commons ID card that says ‘Government Researcher’. Her skirt is rather too short for it to be accidental….she has a curiously girlie voice.” Is Maggie the leverage that the Whips’ office need? With her sweet voice and short skirt, is she just Tory eye-candy or is there a brain working overtime in that pretty little head?
THE CHIEF – Playing age sixty-five, Chief Whip for the Government When we first meet the Chief he’s sitting nodding gently with a tumbler of whisky in his hand, still wearing the Santa suit but without the wig and beard. He is a man who eats and drinks too well and has been exposed to the stress of Government and Opposition for a long time now. His loyalty to the Party is unswerving, and he’ll stop at nothing to protect it.
DELIA – forty-three, Deputy Chief Whip for the Opposition. Described as “an attractive English rose in her early forties. She is dynamic and smart in a navy suit. Her voice is like cold steel.” Whilst I’m not in the least bit worried about the “English rose” description, Delia has to be powerful. A strong woman doing a job in a traditionally patriarchal situation where dirty tricks are the norm and no holds are barred.
Crew
- Stage Manager - [Kay George]
- Lighting Design - Designer Name
- Lighting Operator - [Kathryn Ramsy]
Reviews
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Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
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See Also
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References
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