In a powerful display of live art theatre, Jenna Watt invites the audience to help her conquer the bystander effect. She was inspired to create this show after a friend of hers was attacked in London. Using his voice and the stories of other victims, she discusses her own understanding of the bystander effect along with her interest in psychogeography.
She starts the show by describing her love of Edinburgh where she has lived, gone to university, and fallen in love. She talks about her friend, Jeremy, whom she went to university with. After university, he moved to London to work as a police officer, and was the victim of a train attack. It frustrated Watt that there were other passengers on the train, but they made no effort to offer support. She states that ‘the larger the crowd, the less likely it is that anyone will intervene’, not because of a fear of violence and pain, but instead due to a diffusion of responsibility. She attempts to challenge this effect, and give people the confidence to stand up to violence.
This is Watt’s passion. She talks about the research she has done to understand the issues covered in the show. All the victims she talks about are real people who she knows, so she is talking about some very personal topics. It pains her that people can stand back and do nothing, though she knows that she used to be the same. Her passion shines throughout the performance; she is very perceptive and has some fascinating and powerful points to make.
