Review: Churchill’s Urinal (King’s Head Theatre)

Review by Molly Gulvin

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The concept of a urinal used by Prime Minister Winston Churchill may not feel like a typical basis for a comedy, but writer and performer Rosie Holt has decided to take it on anyway. Currently playing at the King’s Head Theatre, Churchill’s Urinal takes current political and social affairs and combines them with the unconventional narrative to create a production that hurtles through comedy, satire and social commentary at breakneck speed. The biggest challenge faced by Churchill’s Urinal was ensuring that audiences were not left behind - a task that was achieved to the highest standard.

There is an element of truth to this play: when Rachel Reeves - notably the UK’s first female chancellor - took office, she specifically reported that she aimed to remove the urinal from her private bathroom, before later noting that the urinal could not be removed due to it being listed, meaning it would cost thousands to remove. Churchill’s Urinal focuses on a very similar dilemma, but based on a fictional first female chancellor, which certainly allows for more artistic liberties and far more freedom from libel. This chancellor accidentally incites nationalists by trying to remove a urinal from her private bathroom due to its ties to Churchill and other chancellors. The show takes a humorous angle on political affairs and societal issues, tying them all back to what becomes the spiritual embodiment of Churchill within a urinal, which somehow works in a remarkably more reasonable way than it sounds. 

There is not a word of Holt’s script (with additional material from Stewart Lee) that has not been carefully placed to maximise comedy at every moment. Holt’s satirical online sketches (which are based on a fictional MP) have provided her with a foundation upon which to write this show, and she uses this to create a truly hilarious script that does not disappoint in its ability to surprise you at each moment. Some political narratives can struggle because the current affairs they focus on fade into obsolescence, but Churchill’s Urinal has faced entirely the opposite: recent political affairs have provided a wealth of materials for this play, and Holt takes this in her stride, opening the piece by discussing ‘Andy versus Wes’ and referencing recent local elections. These additions, alongside other semi-improvised quips towards the audience, help to cement the play’s grounding in real-time events, drawing the audience in effectively. 

Holt does not shy away from commenting on current and social affairs, and she toes the line consistently in her satire in a way that creates hilarity instead of offence. The latter half of the play includes more discussion on the contentious points of the narrative, and there was a sense of power and camaraderie in the theatre as the play developed. The end of the play dissolves into what can only be described as an absurd series of events, which provides light-heartedness but feels very disjunct from the discussions that were starting to arise. Neither approach is necessarily wrong, but it would have been nice to see a more decisive approach to the more serious themes if they were going to be discussed in such a way. 

Under direction from Daniel Clarkson, the performance is fluid and flows between scenes and emotions easily, always bringing the audience onside as these transitions happen. The tone of the production is easy to interpret throughout, and the comedic direction doesn’t detract from the important themes of the show. There is a clear connection between Holt’s intention as a writer and Clarkson’s intention as a director, meaning artistic visions are not compromised. The synergy between the creative team is evident, leading to a cohesive production.

Technically, the show is both designed and executed flawlessly. Ryan Dunnett’s lighting programming is especially effective, with each choice having obvious intent and impact upon the production. Similarly, Jac Cooper’s sound design truly helps to provide the atmospheric tone for the work, and nuanced details have obviously been carefully considered. With that being said, the stars of the show truly are Francesca Menichelli’s props, particularly the urinal that seems to tower over the rest of the set despite being relatively mobile.

As a performer, Holt brings life to her written work by creating a character that is equal parts power and arrogance at the start of the show, creating a character arc in a play where that would seem unlikely to find. Her comedic timing adds to the hilarious nature of the show and, as previously mentioned,  her ability to add quips about both current affairs and the audience help to aid her performance. She displays the mental turmoil of the chancellor well, but truly shines in these comedic moments. Michael Lambourne, who plays various other roles in the production (most notably the spirit of Winston Churchill and an aide to the Prime Minister) does a fine job, finding the comical beats of the work naturally to add to the performance. His impression work - although the impressions are to varying degrees of accuracy, as written - is a particularly funny moment, and each transition into a new impression creates immediate laughter.   

Churchill’s Urinal does not let up, providing seventy minutes of pure comedy. However, it doesn’t hide behind the humour and instead uses it as a device for its political commentary and satire. Holt has written and now performs this show to her strengths, giving both herself and Lambourne the chance to shine. Overall, this is a highly polished production that never takes itself too seriously, which is exactly what allows it to be digested so well by audiences. 

Churchill’s Urinal plays at the King’s Head Theatre until 6th June, and plays at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 13th-23rd August. Tickets for the London run at https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/churchills-urinal-tickets

Photos by Steve Ullathorne