WHAT is humour? Humour is for many socialists. Why? Well there is the old puritanical strain in British socialism.
But there is also a somewhat bizarre conception of what a model revolutionary should be like.
There is a view that a modern Bolshevik should essentially be a soulless robot, carrying out LasKS (preferably decided by someone else, incapable of recognising his/ her own mistakes and above all being incapable of laughing at oneself.
A hypocritical version of the same is cven worse. you can laugh and' joke non-political milieu, but not where politics are involved.
People who refuse
acknowledge that humour and politics are interrelated should keep well away from Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo. currently being performed by Belt and Braces. It will only upset them.
THE BBC and IBA approaching the elections with their customary 'balance'. This other things, INCE NS. among that parliamentary candidates are not allowed to be featured in any other capacity than as candidates, since that would be will be a delight in terms of both politics and entertainment.
Dario Fo is the most popular comedian in Italy. driven off TV because of his politics. His satirical barbs Christian Democracy delighted the masses, but authorities.
Disgusted by the "historic compromise he parted pany with the Italian munist Party. He now works with a theatre company which plays before 700,000 people a predominantly workers.
Accidental Death ferocious satire against Italian state. It describes the murder of an anarchist railway worker by the Milan police in 1969 and utilises that episode to explain the flatule to capitalist state.
OK, OK I'm making it sound heavy. Just read the excellent programme notes when you get there. Not another word from You must go and see this play. It is the best that I have free publicity.
Incidentally, that are reason why Jeremy Thorpe's trial was postponed give him coverage, they'll all be that charged murder.
early Labour MP. Joe Ashton, He was seen in this country for the last upset the 15 years (and for two of these I had to see five plays a week as the theatre critic of a bourgeois COl- magazine).
Com- Now a word or two about the performances. When one says that this is the best play to be seen in this country for many years one is not just talking about the script.
Une It is the Belt and Braces production justice to Fo's satire.
The performances are superb and the evening I saw the play there was a real camaraderie between the players audience, Not a LEDATICE alienation.
Alfred Molina's
mance as 'A Maniac' deserves a Lunacharsky (our equivalent of had a television play postponed was the until after the election.
But surely a better way of •If we achieving balance would be to give the they're to How about the casualty was singing 'Money who world go round', or Michael Heseltine in 'Hair'.
VIEWERS can
survive the next month without Joe Ashton's opus, "balance' policy serious consequences.
Racism, we are always told, is something that all respectable politicians are opposed to. But that hasn't stopped the BBC from postponing Dread, Beat and Blood, a film about Linton Kwesi balance hebesk poet.
How balance comes 'A Maniac' [Alfredo Molina] confronts police superintendent Andrew de la Tour This is not to is aptly CaSI point home and he does.
which does full election year.
including the odd trace of UD. harassed, beaten up, ete perforTories a few light slots as well.
Eurovision makes probably but the has more Linton Kwesi Johnson BBC decision. contrast the Oscar). It is simply brilliant.
underrate anyone else (Andrew de la Tour as a decaying, semi-fascist police chief), but to *Accidental stress the fact that A Maniac dominates the proceedings. needed a Molina to ram the The entire production, of course, should be filmed and Moon shown on television, but then we are in Britain and this is The The Prevention of Terrorism Act has just been passed again; Airey Neave has been blown tortures continue in H Block, blacks continued to be revolutionary post-First Fo, too close to the bone in Italy, would saw through it in the decision arts is he (This to the liberal
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ALEXANDRA PALACE SAT 14th APRIL 4,30pm-12pm For everyone else the play
TICKETS £1.70 (inadvance*) £1.95 (on the door) Rodil soN C1.70 (with dole card)