As the audience enters the theatre, a scrolling screen flashes up post-Brexit headlines from the likes of\u00a0The Daily Mail and\u00a0The Sun. Then, the mood changes as five performers in shiny leotards launch into a song about the premise of this musical: four immigrants to the UK are given the chance via a Miss World-style competition to be crowned Miss Brexit and become \u2018one of us\u2019, while the other three will be deported.<\/p>\n
To prove their worthiness to stay, the contestants must give their \u2018sob stories\u2019 before jumping through a series of increasingly ridiculous hoops. Sound familiar? And with each elimination round, the contestants\u2019 fates are decided by the audience. It’s an absurd premise that leans into the silliness, with the serious headlines never revisited, save for one segment that veers into lecture mode.<\/p>\n
Some songs are strong while others meander, and although none advance the plot in any meaningful way, they do help to humanise the immigrant contestants, which is really the whole point. It\u2019s uneven in parts, but\u00a0Miss Brexit has a strong cast and plenty of heart. With a little tightening, its message could land far more powerfully.<\/p>\n