Under a government where the current ministerial majority are drawn from Oxbridge, the social satire of Posh is relevant and biting. The ‘Riot Club’ consists of boys descended from landed aristocracy and educated at institutions which instil in them a sense that they can one day rule the world. They band together and expect the world to provide for them, rather than the other way round. This is entirely at odds with the current society and its shifting values towards meritocracy, embodied in the hardworking and honest pub landlord Chris (John Askew).
The play had a slow start with the dialogue between the Tory MP Jeremy (Mungo Tatton-Brown) and his godson Guy Bellingfield (Louis Lunts) but once the two characters got into their stride they had the audience reeling with laughter. Mungo perfectly embodied the stereotypical Tory that one would expect to be a member of a fraternity akin to the Riot club and thus really set up the overindulgence and snobbery which was to come.
The use of set was simplistic but reflected the surroundings of the play perfectly. The scene transitions were well handled; the use of blackouts between courses was clever, with each meal presumably hidden from view underneath the table and then pulled out by the actors to give the impression that time had passed. It seemed like there was a mishap with returning the props for the final scene with Jeremy after the chaotic dinner scene, but the actors handled it in character effortlessly with Jeremy quipping that one of the whisky glasses’ absences must the fault of the “inept foreign staff”.
Most of the action in the play takes place in one private function room and the directors (Beth Eustace & Luke de Belder) did a fantastic job keeping the dialogue fluid and vibrant enough to hold and engage with the audience’s attention. Every character felt different and unique from the offset which was terrific as, with a cast this size, characters could have easily slipped into obscurity. The entire cast was strong and each performer seemed comfortable in their role. John Askew gave an outstanding and very believable performance as Chris the Landlord and really played to the humour and charm of the role. Other notable mentions must also go to Lewis Chandler’s hilarious portrayal of the flirtatious but ultimately misogynistic Harry Villers and Nick Armfield’s Alistair Ryle who gave a brilliant monologue and effortlessly took over from being the radical to the leader of the pack. However, the stand out performance of the night must go to Ryan Hall as Hugo Fraser-Tyrwhitt who tackled Hugo’s multi-dimensional character naturally; appearing pompous and weasel-like at times but somehow remained one of the more likeable figures of the Riot Club. His rendition of Hugo’s altered Henry V soliloquy was incredible and was a highlight of the production.
There was the occasional fumbling of lines but it was hard to tell whether it was first night nerves or the cast struggling with what seemed to be a quite complex and stodgy script in parts. This is more of a criticism of the writing itself rather than any fault of cast or crew. The dialogue was mostly quick and dynamic, but on occasion it didn’t flow particularly well and it seemed that the actors were doing battle with an over-laboured text. Nevertheless, these instances were few and far between and most definitely did not detract from this marvellous production.
Thus, Posh is a play that represents two separate worlds; the dying one of old where the social elites from privileged backgrounds rule and the emerging meritocracy which is fighting to take its place. It essentially felt like the world is moving on quickly and these young men are struggling to make sense of it and their place in this ever-changing world. The change in tone, which reflected their attitudes towards other members of society, from comedy into what becomes a quite dark second half was conveyed perfectly by the cast and the play was gripping until its final shocking finale. A great play executed with excellent directing and a very strong cast. One definitely worth going to watch!