Churchills Urinal at Kings head theatre Islington

A quick note before we get started on the urinal, I would just like to mention the fact that the King’s head theatre has moved: It is no longer above the pub, it now has its very own location in the newly developed Islington square complex just around the corner. This is obviously a good thing, we need our arts venues and its great to see it going up on the world, but at the same time there is a little part of me that was sad not to be getting a pint in the pub and carrying it through the door at the back and up that twisty staircase, but nevermind…

I now have a confession to make: Before yesterday I was actually not aware of the work of comedienne Rosie Holt, when I signed up to review this show back in Feb it was simply because I liked the sound of the title. However my plus one is a massive fan, and jumped at the opportunity to come and join me, before we went he suggested I check out some of her videos on Instagram (@rosieisaholt) which I did, and I have to say they are very very funny. For those of you like myself who are not in the know she has an online persona pretending to be a Labor MP and satirizing British politics, and it is this character who we are introduced to in ‘Churchill’s Urinal’.

Newly promoted to ‘Chancellor of the Exchequer,’ Holt now has her own office in Downing Street complete with its own private bathroom, there is a slight problem though: The bathroom has not been decorated in several years, infact there is even a very old stained urinal in one corner, surely its time for it to go? Unfortunately as it turns out, the urinal was originally installed by none other than Sir Winston Churchill (The patron saint of Britishness) Who piddled on it every day from 1924-29, removing it would be sacrilege!

Faster than you can say ‘Twitter storm’ Holt’s quest for a simple bathroom refurbishment becomes a metaphor for the battle ground of ‘right V’s left’ and old world order against progressive ideals. It also asks the important question, does Churchill’s blood and thunder rhetoric still have a place in the modern world?

I went in expecting good things and I have to say that ‘Churchill’s Urinal’ did not disappoint, together with her co star Michael Lambourne (who took on multiple small roles throughout the show) Rosie Holt’s political alter ego is fierce, fast and extremely entertaining, I was particularly impressed with the fact that although this had been in my diary for months, the script had clearly gone through some ultra last minute edits to include the latest goings on from murky world of British politics and still managed to be razor sharp.

Churchills urinal is on at the kings head theatre Islington until June 6^th   Go and and see it if you have even the most passing interest in current affairs, I promise you it is comedy gold.

Click here for booking info