[Review] Act Provocateur International: F***ing Asylum Seekers
The premise upon which this show is based is a promising one: an exploration of society when political correctness has taken over. A family of asylum seekers arrive at Stuart’s council flat and claim it as their own. Slowly but surely they take over his home, his girlfriend and his country all under the umbrella of ‘Democracy’.
The farcical humour of the situation works well, building nicely as Stuart’s protests repeatedly fall on deaf ears. Film clips recreating Stuart’s forays into the outside world invert our expectations in a Kafka-like manner, as it becomes apparent that the only normality offered is that within the confines of his flat.
However, the generic rendering of the family’s customs and behaviour despite the intended humour with which it is performed smacks of xenophobia. Similarly as understandable as Stuart’s objections to his new lodgers are, the portrayal of asylum seekers as quite literally taking over the country cannot be separated from its prejudiced connotations.
In terms of performance this is a capable cast, with strong shows from Shaban Arifi and Geir Kjelland. But this overshadowed, as it is hard to see how this production can be meant as a positive statement when it seems to actualize the latent fears held by so many of the general public. If its black humour is intended to show the unlikelihood of such a situation ever occurring then the piece still acts a message to placate the members of our increasingly ‘nimby’ society.
Who: Act Provocateur International: F***ing Asylum Seekers
Where: C Electric
When: 14:00-15:00; 4th-29th August (except 14th)
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