EDINBURGH 2014 - BWW Reviews: KINGMAKER, Pleasance Courtyard, August 3 2014

Kingmaker is a new show for 2014 which was written by the creators of last year's political satire Making News which was one of my 2013 Fringe highlights.

While we are assured that any likeness to any current political figures is purely coincidental it is difficult not to draw conclusions. Max Newman is a bumbling London mayor who can do no wrong in the eyes of the public. The man who is described as "part teddy bear and part serial killer" decides that he wants to run as Prime Minister of the UK.

Kingmaker takes place in an abandoned office somewhere inside parliament. Eleanor Hopkirk MP has called Max to a secret meeting alongside potential candidate Dan Regan. Dan is only 36 years old and considered a "toddler" in politics. The meeting is to discuss the two men running for prime minister and Eleanor reveals her own plans to make sure one of the men wins the election. Max is cocky that the position is his but Eleanor has something up her sleeve that will turn the press and the public turn against him in a way that revelations of adultery, bestiality and embezzlement have never been able to.

This really is an excellent piece of theatre: fast paced and darkly humorous with a brilliantly written script, this play exceeds my expectations that were set by last year's Making News.

Kingmaker runs at the Pleasance Courtyard at 3pm until August 25th.

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