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ED2016 4/5 Reviews ED2016 Theatre Reviews
Boris: World King (KPS Productions and Seabright Productions present Three’s Company)
By Francesca Peschier | Published on Saturday 20 August 2016
With wig, waffle and even audience participatory wiff-waff (that’s ping pong to those not from Eton), David Benson embodies Boris Johnson as a buffoon, without being clownish. Yaz Al-Shaater’s direction resists cartoonish parody of the unlikely foreign secretary, reminding us of his Machiavellian ambition. Benson is at his best when a sneer accompanies Boris’s seemingly harmless xenophobic or misogynist ‘banter’, as he and long suffering director/researcher Helen (Joanna Bending) try to keep his quest for The Edinburgh Comedy award and subsequent world domination on track. Whilst the flashback scenes can be woolly, the current post-referendum material and politician patter is consistently funny. ‘Boris: World King’ reminds the audience of the very danger of Boris … you can’t help but like him.
Pleasance Dome, until 29 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Francesca Peschier]