A nation, according to the political theorist and historian Benedict Arnold, is an imagined community. That’s exactly what’s on offer from Sam Ward as he takes the role of storyteller in YESYESNONO’s latest production. With a measured and engaging performance, and a well-balanced interplay with the audience, the theatre-maker constructs a community then shows how it can be torn apart by intolerance.
a solid piece of smartly constructed theatre with a strong central performance
Ward, as he tells us throughout the performance of Nation, is the storyteller and we are the audience. More than that, we are also the residents of a small, ordinary town—a sort of middle-class idyll with a local butcher, baker, and Pilates instructor, which begins to suffer odd events upon the arrival of a stranger. The mundane unity of the town is shattered as community cohesion fails, blame is apportioned, fear turns to hate, and bloodshed ensues.
With stripped-back staging, and only minimal but effective lighting and sound, the drama is constructed largely in the minds of the audience via simple, direct, and often repeated addresses from Ward. We are encouraged to imagine the scenes from the tale, from a retirement party to a political rally to a violent death. Are we imagining the same thing, though? The production poses, then answers the question in an unsettling way.
The current far-right rioting in towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland lends the story significant cultural weight, as over recent days we have seen blame, fear, and hate turn to violence. However, it also reveals a limitation of Nation, as reality has overtaken the story in a way which is more shocking than anything you’ll see onstage. The narrative we are drawn into, as engaging as it is, seems more simple and straightforward, and certainly less substantial by comparison.
Still, Nation remains an enjoyable experience, and even if the darkness promised by the narration is considerably less dark than the nightly news right now, there’s still a lot to be admired in the production. It’s a solid piece of smartly constructed theatre with a strong central performance.
