There is something about a Conservative Government and a floundering Labour opposition that lends itself so beautifully to political satire. After all, that was the climate that sawSpitting Image become one of the most successful comedies ever.With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time for A View from Islington North to arrive at the Arts Theatre. Produced by Karl Sydow and Out of Joint and directed by Max Stafford-Clark, the evening is comprised of 5 short plays, some previously performed and some specifically commissioned for the occasion.
On the whole, Stafford-Clark has produced a cohesive and enjoyable evening but in a selection such as this, a variance in quality is almost inevitable. The weaker moments of the collection come in the first act.
Mark Ravenhill’s The Mother is an interesting choice to open. It has the potential to unsettle in the way that many dark comedies do but never quite delivers. Sarah Alexander isn’t quite the right fit as a single mother who has lost her son in military service. A return visit when Kathryn O’Reilly takes over on 6th June could see a more successful execution.
The Accidental Leader by Alastair Beaton which follows an attempt by several Labour politicians to overthrow their leader has one of the most interesting concepts on paper. Although skilfully carried by Bruce Alexander as a rebel backbencher with his eye on the prize, the stakes are never quite high enough to reach the dizzying farce of one of the best political satires of recent times - The Thick of It.
Luckily, these two pieces are sandwiched around Caryl Churchill’s Tickets Are Now On Sale which starts amusingly but rapidly becomes unnerving. In the shortest piece of the night, Sarah Alexander is much more at home quickly unravelling the subtext of a conversation with Steve John Shepherd.
The stand out piece of the evening comes after the interval in David Hare’s Ayn Rand Takes a Stand. A fantasy encounter between George Osbourne, Theresa May and a famous philosopher is used to convey Hare’s thought provoking stance on the Syrian Refugee crisis. Ann Mitchell delivers plenty of laughs as Ayn Rand and Jane Wymark is at her strongest as May. Extra kudos goes to Steve John Shepherd’s squeamish George Osbourne.
How to Get Ahead in Politics by Stella Feehily which follows a Tory Chief Whip introducing a young intern to the “do’s and don’ts” of a career in politics is again, more successful. Feehily’s punches are hard, often and like all great satirists she saves her knockout blow for the last line. The piece also sees the third of three fantastic performances from Joseph Prowen who more than holds his own as the youngest member of the cast.
The evening ends with No Buddy, No by Billy Bragg, a powerful song that says more in two minutes than some parts of the evening said in twenty.
Stafford-Clark has done a good job of curating, directing and executing the ambitious task of juggling 5 short productions. There are moments that are still a little rough around the edges but this strikes as a production that will only get better with time.
All in all, a satisfactory evening which would be of particular interest to those who are passionate about politics. The main issue steams from reading Marianka Swain’s history of satire featured in the programme. ‘In Medieval Celtic society,’ she writes, ‘a bard’s “satire” was believed to be so powerful that it could kill’. Unfortunately for a large portion of A View from Islington North, phasers are set firmly to stun.
A View from Islington North runs at the Arts Theatre until 2nd July.
First a blazing production of