THE Absence Of War, a play detailing the Labour Party’s General Election campaign in 1992, opens in Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre tonight.
The show, which first premiered in 1993, tells the story of a decent and well liked leader, who is so smothered by his advisers that he is incapable of being taken seriously by the public. It was written by the playwright, David Hare, who had incredibly close access to Neil Kinnock and his advisers during and after Labour’s ill-fated General Election campaign.
The timely revival, produced by Headlong, is touring mostly in England and has already played to audiences in Sheffield and Liverpool. For its only Scottish date the Absence of War comes to the Citizens Theatre, Scotland’s home of political theatre.David Hare had close access to former Labour leader Neil Kinnock
David Hare had close access to Neil Kinnock
WHAT’S THE BACKGROUND
GEORGE Jones, the charismatic leader of the Labour Party, has three weeks to win the fight to get into 10 Downing Street. His party are split, he faces a hostile media, and his own demons are just about taking over. He leads a party trusted on the NHS but regarded as poor on the economy. His shadow chancellor is combative and the unelected coterie of advisers surrounding him wields power and influence.
Speaking ahead of the tour, David Hare suggested that the play was still relevant 22 years after it was written: “[Absence of War] portrays a Labour Party that will pay any price necessary in order to appear responsible and respectable, and that is rhetorically paralysed by knowing how little it is trusted on the economy. Its strategy, therefore, is always to talk about health. It even charts the rise of those professional types who have taken over the party, but who lack steel because their cultural roots are shallow. With such glaring similarities, it may be tempting to look at the play and remark that little has changed.”
Cast member Amiera Darwish, who comes from Glasgow, plays Mary Housego, the all-powerful press secretary to George Jones. For Darwish the parallels with the 13-year-old play and the current General Election campaign are incredible. She says: “It’s so relevant. It’s quite frightening. It’s different players, different politicians and exactly the same stuff is going on. Even last week’s leaders debate resembles the TV interview we have in the play. In a way that’s terrifying because you think why is this still happening in 2015? Definitely still relevant.”
“It will be interesting to see what audiences think.”
Amiera herself was a strong campaigner for independence during the referendum. She is excited about taking the show to Glasgow, once a Labour stronghold that, if the polls are correct will become an SNP stronghold at the General Election. The country, Amiera believes, is freshly politically active after last year’s referendum. “Everyone’s got a fire in their belly, including me. Not only do you want to make a change, the hope is there to actually make a difference. There’s a lot of potential, which I think is how it felt for people in 1992,” she adds.
The actress did not take a traditional route into drama. She has a masters degree in chemistry and first started taking part in acting workshops to help with her hobby as a classical singer, but fell in love with drama.
A year after graduating from Glasgow University with her science degree, Amiera was at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland taking its acting degree. In the two short years since she’s graduated Amiera has acted in the National Theatre of Scotland’s Glasgow Girls and the Citizen’s Theatre’s Crime and Punishment. Next for the actress is a role alongside Ben Wishaw in the Bacchae in London’s Almeida Theatre’s Greek season.
After tonight’s performance there will be a post-show discussion. If there was ever a play you wanted to talk about after the curtain comes down it’s The Absence of War.
It runs until Saturday.
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