A View From Islington North - Arts Theatre
Jun 18, 2016 23:13:22 GMT
mallardo, theatreliker, and 1 more like this
Post by joem on Jun 18, 2016 23:13:22 GMT
So this is what modern satire looks like? Mmm.... I think not. Only one of the playlets, the very short Caryl Churchill piece, wholly justifies the label for me and that is blemished for me by some borderline anti-semitism. No, I'm not Jewish by the way.
Some of the offerings, like David Hare's overlong and Laboured political fantasy featuring George sborne and Theresa May have satirical elements but end up just making a simple poland simplistic political point.
Others, like Mark Ravenhill's opener are basically short straight plays. This is a piece about a mother who is about to be told her son has been killed in action and is trying desperately not to listen. Not much satire here really, the repetition of the word "****" does not make it such, for me.
My own view, from Bloomsbury, is that satire works best in short bursts and an evening of satire dominated by snappier sketches, songs and poetry might have been more felicitous. A less sanctimonious take than some of the playwrights offered might also have helped.
The Arts Theatre is one of the smallest theatres in the West End and I don't think it was half-full on a Saturday evening. Since the competing attraction from the Euros was a predictable Turkey shoot, I'm not sure that can be blamed for the audiences staying away. Maybe this concept is too cerebral to be successful for a broader audience.
The most satirical point in the evening was the price I paid for a single G & T and a cider. It would seem that modern satire has become an unaffordable luxury.
Some of the offerings, like David Hare's overlong and Laboured political fantasy featuring George sborne and Theresa May have satirical elements but end up just making a simple poland simplistic political point.
Others, like Mark Ravenhill's opener are basically short straight plays. This is a piece about a mother who is about to be told her son has been killed in action and is trying desperately not to listen. Not much satire here really, the repetition of the word "****" does not make it such, for me.
My own view, from Bloomsbury, is that satire works best in short bursts and an evening of satire dominated by snappier sketches, songs and poetry might have been more felicitous. A less sanctimonious take than some of the playwrights offered might also have helped.
The Arts Theatre is one of the smallest theatres in the West End and I don't think it was half-full on a Saturday evening. Since the competing attraction from the Euros was a predictable Turkey shoot, I'm not sure that can be blamed for the audiences staying away. Maybe this concept is too cerebral to be successful for a broader audience.
The most satirical point in the evening was the price I paid for a single G & T and a cider. It would seem that modern satire has become an unaffordable luxury.
)I agree with you mostly about Caryl Churchill's but actually thought what you call 'borderline anti semitism' could be, dare I say it, part of her reflections on her 'brand'. I decided in an instant response to the show not to say anything about that aspect, although I shared a similar disquiet. On reflection now it could be there's an expectation she says stuff about Israel. It was a cynical well-executed piece which, it occurred to me, was possibly cynical about herself. (At this point she may intervene Annie Hall Woody Allen Marshall McCluhan style and either slam or praise me 
) 
