Britney - sorry, that should read Britannia - is having a meeting, a sort of gathering, and she's invited her closest friends - Caledonia, Cymru, Northern Ireland, and the South West, North east and East Midlands of England. It's a gathering to watch the big decision being made, and there's no chance that they'll all go away happy.
Following the EU referendum last June the National Theatre collected interviews with people of all ages from across the UK. Many of their statements are wound into the fabric of the drama, plus the words of some of the more prominent politicians involved. The result doesn't tell us anything new, but it is very entertaining. Wonderfully funny in places, with a bit of a song and dance thrown in, it's a well constructed ninety minutes. But it's striking how many of the voices are, even after the vote, still so ill informed about the subject. One of them has even gone on on to become Foreign Secretary.
Led by Penny Layden as Britannia, it's an impressive ensemble performance. there's complex physical and verbal choreography throughout, as the representatives show up their differences and bring out the voices of the interviewees. All six have to bring to life a range of characters and voices, often crossing over one another and sometimes descending into rabble. Layden has the most fun, imitating the political figures - Cameron and Gove are hard to tell apart at times, but then neither has much of a personality. Her Niggle Fuhrage is suitably bombastic (and swiftly brought my anger to boiling point saying "without a shot being fired" - a photo of Jo Cox popped up early on as a reminder of how hollow that nonsense was). There's a brief appearance for May towards the end, as meaningless as ever, but she has by far the greatest fun with Johnson and his ludicrous affectations.
There are no great revelations, but it's an effective illustration of just how bitterly divided and broken the UK has become. Worth a look.
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