Review: ROTUS At Park Theatre
Scream if you love freedom!
That’s the rallying cry of Chastity Quirke—Receptionist of the United States (aka ROTUS)—who vows to “make America hot again.” A former sorority president and proud Republican, Chastity is determined to serve her country, unbothered by Democrats, socialists, or even her own boyfriend. As she becomes entangled in female friendship and the pressures of being the perpetual “go‑to girl,” she’s horrified to realise she may, in fact, be a feminist.
Leigh Douglas, who writes and performs the piece, brings strong energy to the role and shifts between characters through voice and mannerisms. The set is sparse—a desk, a chair, some lighting—so the show relies almost entirely on her performance. Chastity is peppy and cheerleader‑bright, with clear echoes of Elle Woods—Legally Blonde is even name‑checked, complete with the famous “what, like it’s hard?” line. As a male staffer, Douglas adopts bad posture and a leery gaze. At times, though, the characters feel more caricature than fully realised. Liberty and Candance, fellow White House staffers, flicker in and out without much depth; one moment Candance is drinking, the next she’s desperate to get pregnant by 30. The piece leans heavily into satire, with an unseen president named Ronald Drumpf and nods to real political events, including January 6th and a leader refusing to relinquish power after a second term.
For much of the 70‑minute runtime, the tone stays light—too light, at times. Some audience members were laughing from the start; I only managed a smile once or twice (a reference to Britney and Madonna plus the Legally Blonde reference did it). My attention drifted, and I struggled to care about Chastity’s journey. Theres also some structural issues: a moment where Douglas interacts with an audience member while a voiceover plays, and another where she suddenly breaks into song—an isolated musical burst that feels oddly placed, given nothing before or after it follows that style.
The script hints at richer material—her father’s health issues, for instance—but never digs into what shaped her. It’s only in the final stretch that the show brushes against something weightier. Chastity admits she didn’t say anything against the government targeting various groups because she wanted the boys to like her. It’s a sharp commentary on silence, complicity, and how individuals uphold political systems—but it arrives late and the show ends before it can fully land. The voiceover also reiterates things we already understand (“I was too young and pretty to know they hated women”), adding to the sense that the piece is circling ideas rather than developing them.
Douglas and director Fiona Kingwill clearly aim for a timely, satirical take on American politics, filtered through sorority‑girl sparkle. For me it didn’t land- the satire is broad, the characters thin, and the emotional core only emerges at the end—too late to give the show the substance it’s reaching for.
Leigh is a queer Irish stand-up, writer and performer. Her previous one woman show Sacrament was staged at Kings Head Theatre. Leigh and Fiona co-host the podcast Queer Gals Watch The West Wing.
ROTUS will run in Park Theatre’s intimate Park90 space from 21 January to 7th February Performance times are 7pm Monday – Saturday evening and 3:15pm for Thursday and Saturday matinees. Tickets from £15.
Address: Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace,
Finsbury Park, N4 3JP
Website: https://parktheatre.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parktheatrelondon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighdouglascomedy
Written by Caitlin Neal
