ED2015 2/5 Reviews ED2015 Musical Reviews

UKIP! The Musical (Hell Bent Theatre Company)

By Jon Stapley | Published on Tuesday 25 August 2015

Something worth noting about UKIP! The Musical: there’s a song in the first ten minutes called “Europa, you raped her” that’s accompanied by an on-stage gang-rape. I wouldn’t blame anyone for not making it past that. Charting the rise of a fictionalised Nigel Farage, the show’s astute observations about UKIP’s rise are buried amidst a muddle of class stereotyping and gay jokes. The actors give the catchy tunes their all, and the audience will stroll out singing ‘Fuck off back to your own place’, for whatever that’s worth. However, the satire already feels dated, with Miliband and Clegg jokes that would have been a hoot back in April. Even Farage himself has shrunk in prominence, rendering it all rather toothless.

theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, until 29 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Jon Stapley]