In a world where debt, identity crisis and prejudice are factors towards the term ‘Broken Britain’, it is more difficult than ever for young people to succeed. Simply See Productions have tackled the topic of austerity Britain and have triumphed. Such a potentially moralising storyline could have been lacking in power; yet the bold staging and complex narrative makes
Desperate Measures: Below the Breadline is a brilliantly fresh take on the topic of austerity Britain.
Multiple storylines about young people’s life expectations weave in between each other throughout this innovative piece of theatre. These characters lack any personal relation with each other; what ties them together is a mutual feeling of identity crisis and their futures.
The choreography is nothing short of brilliant. The ensemble work well together in seamlessly navigating the audience through the weaving plots. As a chorus, their physicality is fluid and bursts with vibrant energy throughout the performance.
What stands out the most is the incredibly clear and current script. Occasionally there can be a tendency to talk about austerity Britain quite philosophically. Though Below the Breadline’s script is thoughtful when raising the issues behind the muted voices of our young generation, the vocabulary never becomes too pretentious. The language stays thankfully stays convincingly realistic.
Desperate Measures: Below the Breadline is a brilliantly fresh take on the topic of austerity Britain. The company’s attention to detail with their choreography and fresh playwriting sheds new light on the future of our young generation. Whilst this production leaves little hope for the characters, there is much hope to be head for the futures of all of the company members of Simply See Productions.
