Stiffed!, Tabard Theatre

There was a definite buzz around the lobby entrance to the Tabard last Wednesday night as the small theatre began to fill up for the first ever performance of Stiffed!. Rumour had it that we were about to see, and hear, the inside story behind the machinations of our dearly loved politicians and their duck ponds, moats, porn and Kit Kats.

Rumour was right. John Higginson, Metro's political editor, and Clodagh Hartley, the Sun's Whitehall one, were both very much 'In The Thick Of It' during the exposure and have written a fizzing comedy-satire of those very recent times.

There are two husband and wife teams, one Labour and one Conservative, both slightly confusingly to me at first, played by the same actors. The Labour wife, after a hard struggle has achieved high office with the support of a pliant husband while the Conservative is a wily fixer with a less amenable wife.

His old school chum, a newcomer to parliament, arrives and is promptly shown the greasy ropes and is told how 'the system' can be operated to his best advantage. Also given advice as to how to deal with the press, represented here by a scheming and seductive jounalist who shows no scruples in her efforts to obtain the golden 'scoop' which will bring her fame and fortune.

So far, so excellent, but in the short space of seventy minutes by the brilliant denouement you leave the theatre wondering whether you haven't been a bit hard on the MPs and perhaps their life, with its struggles, hopes and temptations might not be only an intensified version of your own.

The acting of Emma Manton and Matthew Neale as the four protagonists is impeccable while lovely Laura Evelyn even manages to bring out a touch of sympathy for the hardboiled journalist.

Marc Wall gives us a truly wonderful cameo of an editor from hell.

Production and set design are up to the very high standard always found at the Tabard.

Rumour has it that because of the authors' press connections the nationals will be out in force, so my advice to my fellow Chiswickians is to get there early.

Richard Langton