A comedy about the Brexit beasts? Oh, Yes Minister!
Boris Johnson is already a figure of fun on the world stage, and now there will be even more mirth when the antics of the new Foreign secretary and his two house-sharing ‘Brexit Bruisers’ hit the West End.
Jonathan Lynn — a creator of the classic BBC TV shows Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister — has told me he is writing a show about how Johnson and rival ministers Liam Fox and David Davis have been forced to co-habit at Chevening, traditionally used as the Foreign secretary’s official residence.
The three Brexiteers were put in charge, by Prime Minister Theresa May, of facilitating our exit from the EU.
As Foreign secretary, Johnson has become, in essence, the country’s chief diplomat, with Davis as secretary of state for exiting the European Union and Fox the Minister for international Trade. A Downing street spokeswoman noted that it made sense to bunk the secretaries of state together at the palatial estate between sevenoaks and Biggin hill in Kent, because they will ‘be needing an opportunity to host foreign visitors and leaders’.
Lynn, who originated the Yes Minister comedies with Antony Jay, said that he found the premise of the three rivals sharing Chevening a funny one. he imagines the trio in a house-share that will be ‘full of rage, jealousy and thwarted ambition’.
LYnn said that he’s just starting to write the play, which currently has the working titles Chevening or Grace And Favour. he also had high praise for Mrs May’s political casting abilities in bringing the Brexit beasts together in the first place. ‘i think Theresa May could have a future as a comedy producer if all else fails,’ he joked.
Lynn, who also directed the movie comedy classic My Cousin Vinny, has had interest from producers at Playful Productions, but they are waiting for him to finish his play’s script before casting can begin.
There are suggestions that the show could be on the London stage by the end of this year or early in 2017.