A play about the elite performed in an elite university town will always have relevance. Posh seeks to highlight the entrenched system of artificial privilege in Britain, and draw negative attention to the narrow stratum of society from which our political leaders are drawn. Despite claiming to be a play just as much about “ten young men finding their way though university” as it is about politics; it's the “Tory bashing” that comes through. The sheltered and self-assured superiority of the country’s ruling elite and their belittling pretensions to benevolent paternalism come under heavy fire from the playwright – Laura Wade clearly feels there is a point that needs to be made, and she makes it stridently. Posh attracted much consideration on its opening last year in the run-up to the general election, and although the political messages of the play are still pertinent, they have inevitably lost some of their immediate relevance a year on.

Without doubt, the play was very well-produced. The direction coped admirably with the large cast, ensuring no words, or even glances, were lost amongst the crowd. Meanwhile, the set allowed for plenty of frolicking room while maintaining the realistic atmosphere of a private dining room, and was suitably conducive to being heartily smashed up. The play sustained a good pace and exchanges of dialogue felt spontaneous and natural, and the music in the few scene changes was particularly apt.

Although this was an ensemble piece, moments of brilliance set apart several members of the cast. John Lindsay was aloof and sinister as Jeremy, framing the puerility of the Riot Club at the heart of the play with the calculating minds and well-connected individuals such organisations produce. Jack Hudson as Toby and George Johnston as Alistair gave disquieting tirades against the less materially fortunate of this world, while Matt Kilroy interjected with some amusingly ditsy one-liners as George. Alex Gomar, too, deserves a mention for his stylish dancing during a tense game of musical chairs. However, the landlord’s character could have been developed further to provide a starker contrast with the Rioters, and his reaction to the destruction of his gastro-pub could have been more convincing.

The characters may well have charisma but they utterly lack charm – I found myself laughing at them far more than with them. The ensemble fulfilled the requirements of the script, portraying a room full of the nasty, snobbish and filthily-rich types that everyone warns you are swarming around in Oxford and Cambridge. Nevertheless, such a depiction does not ring true for a Cambridge audience, who knows that this, for the most part, is untrue. It is here that the play begins to fall down, as it pushes the action beyond the bounds of plausibility, meaning that the play loses some of its resonance. While it has the potential to make a point about the elite’s sense of entitlement, it makes the issue increasingly hard to relate to as the action becomes ever more debauched and finally violent.

This is a well-performed production of a play with strong contemporary relevance, but it is ultimately betrayed by the overtly politicised nature of the script. Posh makes a fair point about the unfairness of life, but does so in a way which is not particularly convincing.