This UK premiere is extremely thought-provoking.
There is humour as well as serious consideration of the motivations for censorship. This last point is emphasised to the absurdity of being silent completely – very effective.
The narrative is based around the experiences of German playwright Bertolt Brecht who fled Berlin in 1933 and sojourning through a variety of countries before ending up in the USA. However, in 1947 he was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to explore his communist sympathies and associations. The day following his testimony he left the USA. Via two photographs with similar settings and inscriptions made each time the day before leaving, alternative explanations of his possible motives are explored.
All this then touches on how history seems to run in a cycle, the arrogance of so-called advance western societies, and the experience and impact of exile, touching on the personal experience of the artistic duo performing the play, duo Lina Majdalanie and Rabih Mroué. Weaving through the account are songs from Brecht and Hanns Eisler played and sung by a pianist.
Splendid.
