Emma Wilkinson Wright acts the part skilfully, bringing great physicality to her Liz Truss.
Walking into the Studio at The Other Palace to take our seats, Emma Wilkinson Wright was already on stage, as Liz Truss, hard at work at her ministerial desk. The small stage was littered with key items, we recognise from a life in British Politics, the red telephone, the podium, the framed portrait of Margaret Thatcher. The set dressing nicely set the stage for a window into a political life. And as Emma began the one-woman play, it seemed at first this would be a funny, satirical look back at one of the most embarrassing politicians in British political history. Unfortunately, however, as the show went on, it quickly became clear that this show was more of an uninspired attempt to rehabilitate the image of Liz Truss and offered precious little to keep the viewer entertained while making this misguided effort.
This is nothing to fault the portrayal by Emma Wilkinson Wright. She acts the part skilfully, bringing great physicality to her Liz Truss, and being believable throughout as the 49-day Prime Minister. Emma’s Liz goes through a range of emotions, highs and lows, as we are taken through her life and times, and Emma performs these adeptly, hitting every beat. Her skill, as well, in maintaining momentum and remembering the 1hr 55 min monologue should not be understated. Unfortunately, even with such a strong, capable lead actor, there was nothing to be done to salvage this show.
The problem is the script. There are jokes, in the first half at least, but these never provide the audience with more than a polite strained chuckle. The script also makes some bizarre choices, such as spending time on Liz’s schooling days, which offer no insight into the character, taking time from the plot, of which there is very little of to begin with. The show also keeps insisting on returning to a karaoke bit, which is painfully unfunny no matter how much Emma tries to sell it. In the second half, the script decides to not even attempt jokes and instead contains several long-winded monologues which seem to be in aid of framing Liz as a sympathetic figure, who was unfairly treated by the media. The show seems to want the audience to think Liz would have been a good PM if she was given a fair chance.
This is a difficult sell, and you could feel a palpable discomfort across the room during these monologues. However, theatre caters to everyone, and I don’t have to agree with a show’s politics to enjoy the show. So, the problem then, with The Last Days of Liz Truss, is well, it’s dull. The monologues say nothing and go on for far too long. The humour is scarcely present. It’s an absurdly long run time for a show where fundamentally, nothing happens except monologues. This show could have been a short, sharp, satirical send-up about the state of British politics. Alas, it was dull, humourless, and felt like a chore.
The Last Days of Liz Truss is running at The Other Palace until the 15th March 2026. Tickets here.