‘Politics Isn’t For Me’ Review: Ex-Youngest MP Shifts from Commons to Comedy

You can easily grasp why, after quitting as an SNP MP following nine years in Parliament, Mhairi Black’s initial move is on to the standup stage. Goodness me, she has quite the story to narrate! Not many can claim their 20s were as eventful as hers – from becoming the youngest MP since the 1832 Reform Act, amid the height of the independence surge, to holding the position of the party’s deputy leadership in Westminster, all while navigating conflicts with fellow Nats. Now, at the age of 29, she’s retiring just as SNP’s support has taken a nosedive. Out of such a whirlwind, transitioning to autobiographical banter on a comedy stage must feel like a walk in the park. However, it’s clear not everyone is ready to see her political journey end. “Mhairi for PM!” an audience member shouts before she’s even reached the microphone.

“Nae pressure, man,” she replies with a grin. This transition into performance highlights Black’s popular appeal and ease with an audience. Although she tells us this isn’t standup but rather “live therapy,” there’s little doubt she could excel in comedy too. This therapeutic endeavor follows a trying decade in Westminster, where the culture and outdated rules are desperate for reform. Black starts her show with photos from her family album, painting a background starkly different from, say, Eton College – a place she contrasts sharply with Westminster in her narrative.

Our host laughs off online abuse and gets potty-mouthed in parliament.

The first half of the show is marked by irreverence and self-deprecation, with Black dismissing online abuse and recounting tales of getting potty-mouthed in Parliament. At first, she keeps the gossip and grudges to a minimum. But by the end, the performance morphs into more of a public information session, complete with diagrams, as Black explains House of Commons protocol: from “prayer cards” and division bells to hiding in toilets to delay a vote on Gaza. The audience reacts with astonishment at the inefficiency and pomp – the swords especially seem to provoke disbelief, although this portion lacks the dynamism of the earlier, more personal material.

That’s just fine with Black, you get the sense that her underlying objective is to encourage public participation in government. There’s a feeling that her political career might not be entirely over. In the meantime, this stage debut is indeed winning, and the notion of “Mhairi for PM!” doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

• At Gilded Balloon at the Museum, Edinburgh, until 25 August

Source: The Guardian