★★★★★
One of civilisation’s finest dramatic achievements, the Tragicos Unionos Twenty Fifteenos is a play of indescribable brutality and tragedy. Yet also one shrouded in mystery.
Theatre aficionados, otherwise known as hacks, are still investigating who the author and director of this landmark piece of theatrical spectacle really are. Thus far known only as the mysterious person A, we suspect that the unknown architect of this political catastrophe was either a genius in Machiavellian manoeuvres or an insensi- tive idiot with a taste for colonialism. What we do know is that the indelible cast who comprised this production was one of unim- peachable professional integrity. The staging of this tragedy in the Union bar was not the sort of gimmick to which we have become accustomed at venues like the BT.
No this was a brilliant dramatic touch, for this venue offers both the intimacy and grandeur befitting a large scale fuck-up. The use of social media was especially innovative and attracted a vivid discussion that added to the intensity of the plot. It was refreshing to see that social media was used by a production explicitly to offend people.
What was also very interesting was that the production supplied its own review of itself afterwards. In typical Union fashion, this self review emerged as a motion declaring itself institutionally racist.
The lighting and costume were coun- terpoised by the elaborate Union white tie regalia, which was a resonant contrast to the otherwise minimal change in lighting. Indeed the phrase, “The lights are on but no- body is home”, springs to mind here. We are still not sure if this is a review or a preview, for indeed we anxiously await the sequel to this production with future scandals. Apart from the rather uninspiring costumes (those waist- coasts have indeed been around for a while now), this was a truly terrifying and thrilling show of tragic student politics.
