The Duck House Explained

The Duck House
Place:Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Genre:Comedy Farce, Satire

The Duck House is a 2013 comedy farce play written by Dan Patterson and Colin Swash. It is based around the events of the 2009 UK parliamentary expenses scandal, and made its world premiere at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in October 2013, at the start of a five-week UK tour. The production then transferred to the West End's Vaudeville Theatre,[1] where it ran until 29 March 2014.[2]

Synopsis

The play is set in May 2009, one year before the General Election, Gordon Brown's Labour government is unpopular. Robert Houston is a Labour backbencher seeking to defect to the Conservatives to keep his seat, when the expenses scandal hits the papers the day before his interview with Sir Norman Cavendish to complete the switch. Houston is in trouble and so is his staff (his wife Felicity, his son Seb and his Russian housekeeper Ludmilla) and somehow Seb's girlfriend Holly becomes involved with Sir Norman.[3] [4] [5] What follows is a comedy of errors as Houston and his family try to cover their expenses claims including a massage chair,[6] a glittered toilet seat,[7] hanging baskets and an ornamental duck house.[8]

Production history

The Duck House is a farce[9] political satire written by Mock the Weeks producer Dan Patterson and Have I Got News for You writer Colin Swash.[10] Set during Gordon Brown's tenure as Prime Minister[11] it is based on the events of the 2009 UK parliamentary expenses scandal.[12] [13] The show's title is in reference to one specific MP's expense claim  - that of Sir Peter Viggers of £1,645 for a duck house at his constituency home.[14] [15] The production is directed by Terry Johnson[16] featuring set and costume design by Lez Brotherston, sound by John Leonard and lighting by Mark Henderson.[17] The show held a pre-West End tour starting in October 2013 at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford[18] with further dates in Malvern, Nottingham and Cambridge[19] before beginning previews at the Vaudeville Theatre, London[20] on 27 November 2013,[16] with an official opening night on 10 December,[21] booking until 29 March 2014.[1] The shows lead roles are played by Ben Miller,[22] Debbie Chazen, James Musgrave and Simon Shepherd.[23] Whilst speaking about the show Miller said 'They say that comedy equals tragedy plus time, and traumatic as the expense scandal was hopefully we can all now have a bloody good laugh about it. And if any MPs don't like it they can always claim for it on expenses.'[24] Only one politician attended the shows opening night, former Labour home secretary Alan Johnson.[25] A typical performance runs two hours and 15 minutes, including one interval of 15 mins.[26]

Principal roles and original cast

CharacterOriginal pre and West End performer[27] [28]
Robert HoustonBen Miller
Felicity HoustonNancy Carroll
Sir Norman CavendishSimon Shepherd
HollyDiana Vickers
LudmillaDebbie Chazen
SebJames Musgrave
Voice of Radio DJGraham Norton
Voice of Harriet HarmanJessica Martin
Voice of Charlotte GreenCharlotte Green
Voice of Gavin EslerGavin Esler

Critical reception

The production received mixed to positive reviews. Charles Spencer in The Telegraph wrote that the show featured some "sublime comic moments" and that "Subtle it certainly ain’t, but at its ribald best The Duck House proves genuinely hilarious."[29] The Metro described actor Ben Miller as an "unimpeachable, amazingly assured comic presence throughout" and described the direction of Terry Johnson as delivered with "verve and precision".[30]

Some were more critical. Dominic Maxwell in The Times noted the show was by first time playwrights and the play started "fast and it’s really funny", but felt the show's plot structure didn't ultimately have enough support to it. He concluded however that "plenty of the crowd kept laughing till the end."[31] Ian Shuttleworth of The Financial Times felt that although the play was "topical" it took "passing shots at pretty much every other political “outrage” of recent years" and as such was "lazier even than a dedicated couch potato." He did however praise what he called a "fine production", praising Johnson's attention to the "broad farce and the sardonic one-liners" and praising Miller as an "effective linchpin."[32]

Awards and nominations

London production

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ben Miller on starring in new play The Duck House . . standard.co.uk . 16 October 2013 . 28 October 2013.
  2. Web site: West End's Stephen Ward, From Here to Eternity, The Full Monty and The Duck House End Runs March 29 . . playbill.com . 29 March 2014 . 9 April 2014.
  3. Web site: The Duck House . Official London Theatre . officiallondontheatre.co.uk . 3 October 2013 . 28 October 2013.
  4. Web site: The Duck House . . thestage.co.uk . 11 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  5. Web site: MPs duck out of The Duck House . . bbc.co.uk/news . 11 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  6. Web site: The Duck House review . . 12 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  7. Web site: Ben Miller stars in this new satire about the MPs' expenses scandal, which runs at the West End's Vaudeville Theatre . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 11 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  8. Web site: In a flap over expenses, Ben Miller plays an MP in this satire directed by Terry Johnson . The Arts Desk . theartsdesk.com . 11 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  9. Web site: Ben Miller: at home in The Duck House . . thetimes.co.uk . 2 December 2013 . 11 April 2014.
  10. Web site: Culture Stage West End The Duck House: MPs' expenses satire set for West End splash . The Guardian . 17 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  11. News: Ben Miller to turn MPs expenses scandal into West End stage show The Duck House . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/ben-miller-to-turn-mps-expenses-scandal-into-west-end-stage-show-the-duck-house-8820219.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  12. Web site: The Duck House: MPs' expenses satire heads for West End . BBC News . bbc.co.uk/news . 16 September 2013 . 16 September 2013.
  13. Web site: The duo behind The Duck House: We want people to laugh their guts out . . telegraph.co.uk . 21 November 2013 . 11 April 2014.
  14. Web site: MPs' expenses scandal becomes West End comedy . . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  15. Web site: MPs' expenses: Sir Peter Viggers in duck house mystery . . 22 May 2009 . 21 September 2013.
  16. Web site: Ben Miller and Diana Vickers star in Duck House in the West End . Whats on Stage . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  17. Web site: Ben Miller to Lead West End Premiere of Parliamentary Comedy The Duck House . Broadway.Com . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  18. Web site: Ben Miller stars in tour of political satire The Duck House 'prior to West End' . Whats on Stage . 9 August 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  19. Web site: The Duck House, a new comedy starring Ben Miller and Nancy Carroll to open at The Vaudeville Theatre on 10 December, 2013 . The Arts Shelf . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  20. News: Miller to star in West End farce on expenses scandal . Yorkshire Post. 17 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  21. Web site: Ben Miller to star in expenses scandal play . The Stage . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  22. Web site: Ben Miller to star in The Duck House . . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  23. Web site: MILLER SPENDS CHRISTMAS IN THE DUCK HOUSE . Official London Theatre . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  24. Web site: New play about MPs' expenses . Chortle . 16 September 2013 . 21 September 2013.
  25. Web site: Politicians duck first night of play about MPs' claims scandal . . standard.co.uk . 11 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  26. Web site: The Duck House . . timeout.com . 12 January 2014.
  27. Web site: Political Comedy The Duck House Will Play London's Vaudeville; Cast Announced . . 16 September 2013 . 20 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130925153332/http://playbill.com/news/article/182147-Political-Comedy-The-Duck-House-Will-Play-Londons-Vaudeville-Cast-Announced . 25 September 2013 . dmy-all .
  28. Vaudeville Theatre Theatre Programme . The Duck House . March 2014 . 26.
  29. Web site: The Duck House turns the MPs expenses scandal into a ribald farce . . telegraph.co.uk . 10 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  30. Web site: Terry Johnson's The Duck House often feels like a formulaic farce . . metro.co.uk . 12 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  31. Web site: The Duck House at the Vaudeville Theatre, W2 . . thetimes.co.uk . 11 December 2013 . 11 April 2014.
  32. Web site: The Duck House, Vaudeville Theatre, London review . . ft.com . 11 December 2013 . 12 December 2013.
  33. Web site: Olivier Awards: how a tiny theatre in north London trounced the West End . . telegraph.co.uk . 13 April 2014 . 18 April 2014.
  34. Web site: Olivier awards 2014: musicals lead nominations . . 10 March 2014 . 10 March 2014.

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