It's The Economy, Stupid! is a strong and sharp piece that breaks down the consequences that the economy has on society. Directed by Katharina Reinthaller, the show is written and performed by Joe Sellman-Leava, with Dylan Howells accompanying him. Sellman-Leava has created a piece that feels urgent and educational, yet deeply entertaining and with help from Howells, magical at times.
Sellman-Leava does the extraordinary, turning a breakdown of economics into a thoroughly entertaining, engaging and even an edge-of-your-seat show. Sellman-Leava's warm, approachable and charming stage presence does wonders for the piece, which often takes a deep dive into details that most of the audience aren't familiar with, choosing to educate everyone and spread awareness on the crippling stance of economy in the country.
Sellman-Leava delivers these details with a personal touch drawing on several instances from his own life, helping to bring heart to what could be a dry subject matter. Recounting childhood memories pertaining to inflation, being introduced to Monopoly as a game and the concept very early on, and how his family lived through troubled financial times by the government's safety net of financial support. These stories are woven into the show, supporting it as a foundation, yet allowing Sellman-Leava to create a more generalised piece.
Sellman-Leava's words are striking, impactful and ultimately powerful, as he not only breaks down how the economy, banking, privatisation, government grants and more function, but also the negative ramifications in real time. In a moment that's truly extraordinary, Sellman-Leava becomes overwhelmed and burnt out after a rant about the endless obstacles he has faced as a millennial and turning his fears to the next generations. It's a stirringly powerful moment that packs a slow burn gut punch as despair descends upon the audience.
However, the show becomes one of an entertaining and enjoyable nature by Sellman-Leava's endless charisma and jovial tone and jokes, but also with the presence of Howells. A fantastic illusionist and magician, Howells performs feats of magic that leave the audience utterly dumbfounded (even more so than learning about the economy). Demonstrating how certain economic terms exist (an impressive coin trick for banking with slight audience participation), Howells ensures that the audience are wholly invested in the show.
Furthermore, the banter and friendship between Sellman-Leava and Howells forms several of the show's funniest moments, as they bicker about the process of creating the show, tone of dialogue delivery, and trying to cover for one another. Howells hilariously reminding Sellman-Leava to remain unbiased as he begins to spiral is amusing and is a wonderful nod to the importance of friendship and humanity in a tough society.
The set consists of tens of cardboard boxes, stacked in little piles on either side of the stage, and a large back wall behind Sellman-Leava. Often referred to as the Berlin Wall, Sellman-Leava and Dylan Howells use this wall to create a number of stunning and powerful visuals. Initially standing tall and long, this backwall serves as a divide between the rich and the poor, and this is slowly pulled down as Sellman-Leava breaks down how the economy works, doubling this wall into many props and different locations. Using projections (that impressively have been resized to fit these small individual proportions), to denote the family owned grocery store, or becoming lights and a TV set.
Many of the boxes are also illustrated, with caricatures of famous British political figures, or individual items of groceries and most impressively, a painstakingly detailed replication of a Monopoly board. Howells, who often handles these boxes, does so with a slick hand, seamlessly chipping the wall in time with Sellman-Leava's words.
It's The Economy, Stupid! is a show about money, maths, monopoly and magic that should be mandatory watching. It is currently embarking on a UK tour - for more information about the duo's work and tickets to upcoming events, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
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