Discours

Happily, a few of the summer shows have survived the onslaught of Covid: those financed by EDF for its holiday centre in the village. Tonight was a piece by Italian playwright Ascanio Celestini in the left-wing tradition of Dario Fo: Discours à ma Nation. Selman Reda performed the short and hard-hitting monologues as if they were pieces of music, to a musical accompaniment by a one-man-band playing keyboards and our second bass clarinet in a fortnight (extra). They were both very good at what they do and the monologues presented a cynical and sometimes darkly humorous view of neoliberalism. Marx and Gramsci got a look in.

Unfortunately sod's law dictated that it was a windy and chilly evening, but the small and determined audience wrapped up warmly and stuck it out to the end. It wasn't a very photogenic show but it was well worth getting a bit chilled for.