Following the success of The Speech at Guildford Fringe and Buxton Fringe in July 2014 a new professional production was launched with rewrites and updates to reflect the Scottish referendum result which is referenced in the play. Damn Cheek Productions ran a successful tour in 2015, taking in Birmingham, York and other venues before finishing with a sell out week at London’s Arts Theatre. Further performances followed in 2017 and 2018.
When explanations are needed what does a Prime Minister do? Call for the speech writers, the spin doctors, the wordsmiths and the PR people. When things are falling apart, when confidentiality is needed, then what? Narrow the circle or pool all the talents? This PM narrows the circle to two; the PM and the speechwriter. And these two have to face difficult truths, about the nation and themselves, and present the situation to a waiting public. A disenfranchised, disadvantaged, distressed and angry public. Whose version of the truth will survive? In a darkly comic 50 minutes the speech of a career is drafted and two people are changed forever.
The Damn Cheek production drew on the directing talents and extensive experience of Rob Swinton and features Darren Cheek as the speechwriter and Debbie Christie as the PM.
