There have been many rumours circulating about the Whingers’ declining theatre-going during the summer months.
It has until now been top secret, but at last they can reveal how their evenings have recently been occupied – creating their secret weapon for the Flower Show at the Lambeth Country Show 2008.
The result is a “vegetable sculpture” entitled “Amy Greenhouse” and the Whingers are thrilled to report that they took first prize. To be fair, there were only four entries in the Vegetable Sculpture category but nevertheless the £3 prize money is all theirs.
Now that they have won Lambeth Council’s equivalent of the Turner Prize they feel they may have a new calling in the field of the visual arts and theatre may have to struggle along without them in the future.
The Lambeth Country Show ends at 7pm. Apparently unclaimed exhibits will be put up for sale at 5.30pm. The Whingers can not comment on rumours that Charles Saatchi is even now on the number 2 bus to Brockwell Park clutching a picnic chair to ensure he is first in the queue.

"Amy Greenhouse" - Amy Winehouse in vegetable sculpture
Footnote for art historians
This is apparently not the first time that Ms Winehouse has been immortalised in vegetable matter. Indeed, she was the inspiration for the winner of the 2007 Starchy Gallery prize awarded to the best potato figure.
On a topical note, Germaine Greer featured in the 2005 Starchy Gallery competition (right).
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 1:57 pm
Oh wow, what a terrific likeness. I can see why you won. Well-done Whingers! What will you do with the prize money?
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 4:08 pm
Completely unknown to me who was its creator, I admired ‘Amy Greenhouse’ yesterday afternoon. At least it hasn’t given me nightmares unlike some of the other exhibits. Already looking forward to next years exhibit, a Beet Doherty perhaps?
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 4:12 pm
Beet Doherty! That’s very good. We may well steal it and pass it off as our own idea next year.
Phil is already hard at work on next year’s effort, though. He’s aiming to create a likeness of Dame Judi Dench out of a pineapple, apparently.
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 9:20 pm
Ehr, Andrew/Phil, whose idea was it to make Amy Greenhouse?
Congrats you guys!
Monday 21 July 2008 at 7:44 am
Please don’t forget the subsidised theatre. How about a Carrot Churchill? Or a Sir David Pear? Or even a King Edward Bond?
Then you can apply for an Arts Council grant.
Monday 21 July 2008 at 9:11 am
Congratulations on your very well-deserved win – that’s a fantastic likeness! Forget Saatchi, you should consider selling it to the National Portrait Gallery!
Monday 21 July 2008 at 12:16 pm
Actually some say that the vegetable carvings were a let down this year… Maybe because Amy Greenhouse doesn’t have a Lambeth connection… Or maybe because you made Amy’s eyes white and didn’t have her head half falling off…
Whatever the case well done anyway!
Monday 21 July 2008 at 1:16 pm
Fantastic I only hope Mr Hirst doesn’t pickle it and claim it as his own. Maybe the WEWs can launch a new Puppetry of the Penis type show where they contort themselves into various vegetable representations of much loved stars of the past I suggest Margaret Rutherford and George Formby for starters
Tuesday 22 July 2008 at 10:12 am
Hello,
Congratulations on the win. I work for the Lambeth local paper and wanted to speak to the creator for a piece in the paper.
Cheers
Ben Clover
South London Press
020 8710 6445
Thursday 24 July 2008 at 8:43 am
Oh Boys, you’ve really started something. “He of Xanadu on stage seating” is, as we speak, attempting Sheila Reid from a gherkin.
Thursday 24 July 2008 at 4:43 pm
´Now that they have won Lambeth Council’s equivalent of the Turner Prize they feel they may have a new calling in the field of the visual arts´…
The Turnip Prize, surely. Begging to be inaugurated. I´ll put up the three quid myself.