I think I found out about this work in progress show on
twitter or Kieran Hodgson’s Facebook page. Having watched ‘Lance’ in 2016 in
London and Maestro in 2017, again in London and thoroughly enjoyed both, I
couldn’t pass on the opportunity to see what Hodgson was working on next.
It was an incredibly ambitious exploration of 1970s politics
as a means of explaining why the UK ultimately voted for Brexit in 2016. It
opens with Hodgson miming trundling onto stage in a car (from memory I think he
was playing his parent pre-birth of Hodgson) and chatting with their friendly
neighbour about European politics. Cut then to present day and Hodgson is
discussing with his German friend about why the UK voted for Brexit.
What proceeds is a giddy, sometimes almost delirious
retelling of 70s UK politics filled with incredible satirical caricatures, the
most memorable and genius ones being Charles De Gaulle reworked as a Ru Paul
drag act, and Enoch Powell as a cat. There were certainly prolonged passages
detailing politicians stances which were more academic and lacking in jokes and
undoubtedly it was a show that needed heavy re-working and direction but the
bare bones of the concept and the strength of his ideas were more than
promising.
Kieran Hodgson finally brings his finished show to Edinburgh this year (promised to
be a trilogy last year though we’ll see how that pans out – given his 2018 show
is titled “ ’75 ” I suspect he’ll be focussing on different years in subsequent
shows).
I cannot wait to see how these ideas have developed in the
intervening 11 months.
Score: officially no score but 9/10
Venue: Pleasance Courtyard
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