a must see show for anyone interested in how our society works and is structured
The Economist | Review
Thom Dibdin | All Edinburgh Theatre
6 Aug, 2012
The sun still shines even though the Edinburgh Fringe is now officially open. Surely some mistake? Equally sure, is the prediction that it won’t last. Today is time to check out a couple of new venues – or old ones reinvented.
First off is C Nova. I didn’t mention how hot and sweaty the Cabaret Bar in that venue is in yesterday’s blog. But it is quite positively sauna like, at least on a sunny day – quite reminded me of the original C venues down at Overseas House, 100 Princes Street.
Down in C Nova’s belly, MKA Theatre’s The Economist is playing in a found space. I am very happy to discover it is directed by the often controversial but usually spot on Van Badham. And this does not disappoint in the slightest.
The Economist is based on the writings and various reports and interviews around Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik. It is a response to his terror bomb in Oslo on June 22 2011 which killed 8 people and the following massacre on Utoya Island when he murdered a further 69.
It is moving, thought-provoking account which fictionalises Breivik to Andrew Berwick and changes the facts slightly, in order to examine how what he did fits in with the society from which he comes. It is all told in a strong Australian voice – but with a white, beige and red colour scheme that nails itself firmly as Norwegian.
It’s a great ensemble piece with a fantastic central performance from Zoey Dawson as Andrew Bolt Berwick. Certainly a must see show for anyone interested in how our society works and is structured. Van Badham has a fascinating article about the show on the MKA website, here, which puts it in an Australian context that appears to be slightly different to the UK experience. But the show still says brave things for all.