A famous quote coined as part of the US 1992 election campaign, and a stark reminder that when it comes to voting intentions, the public are prone to vote with their pockets. The phrase caught on: Gordon Brown had it on office screensavers during the 1997 campaign. And now it’s the title of a Fringe show.
Very funny, poignant, expertly and charmingly delivered and pleads for a better political and economic future
Ostensibly about economics, but not a lecture, there is a highly personal subtext for one of the performers, Joe Sellman-Leava, more of which anon. He delivers an entertaining exploration of some aspects of economics and banking, dealing with amongst others the reserve assets ratio system and economies of scale. We learn about some economic historical figures. Sellman-Leava, together with Dylan Howells, explore how finance affects and perhaps controls our lives.
If all of this sounds academic and possibly dry, don’t be fooled: this show is delivered at pace, with piercing humour, fusing mimicry and even magic. The performance is punctuated by imagery, audio clips, an array of cardboard boxes and monopoly.
We learn of Sellman-Leava’s familial backstory and his acute interest in finance. His family ran a small greengrocers and just about managed. When the recession came, however, they fell upon hard times and were bankrupted. He has carried the trauma of this with him and this has driven his desire to understand - and question - economics.
The show becomes personal when Joe Sellman-Leava describes the struggles endured and links many of the reasons back to macro economics and the political decisions underpinning this.
There is a short segment where Sellman-Leava lies down on the stage and the director may wish to re-think this choice, it being particularly hard to view these moments, despite the raked seating. A very minor gripe.
Dylan Howells, quite apart from the sleight of hand magic elements, acts as sort of counter-point, a brake to any suspicions that Sellman-Leava will become overly animated and personal. The chemistry between them is palpable and they complement each other with precision and gentleness.
This sold-out show is informative, very funny, poignant, expertly and charmingly delivered and pleads for a better political and economic future. Catch it while you can.
