Produced by Worklight Theatre

Review by Jack Cuinn

Pleasance Dome – Jack: Tickets

It’s the Economy, Stupid, a phrase coined by Jim Carville in 1992 for the recession, may resonate a little too close to home to the many fringe artists embarking on the streets of Edinburgh who have taken significant financial risk to be here. Therefore, a show that promises to playfully deal with the complex issue of the economy and explore the need for reform in an accessible way is, in some ways, a much-needed amenity for festival goers and artists alike.

Sellman-Leava’s Sellman-Leava’s recounting of his family’s financial struggles during the early 90s recession adds a deeply personal dimension to the show. His story of how a family-owned shop was pushed out by big chains and the subsequent loss of their home is not just heartbreaking but also a stark illustration of the human cost of unchecked capitalism. This narrative serves as a powerful reminder that the economic systems we often discuss in abstract terms have very real consequences for people’s lives.

The show doesn’t shy away from the absurdities of the current economic system either. Through clever impersonations and visual aids like cartoon depictions of politicians, the production critiques the illogical connections and decisions made by those in power—like Rishi Sunak’s bizarre blame on a lack of math education for economic downturns or Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy scheme, which has left the current middle class struggling to achieve homeownership.

The camaraderie between Sellman-Leava and Howells, sprinkled with magic tricks and playful banter, despite a few slightly awkward moments of line-fluffing, ensures that the audience remains engaged without feeling overwhelmed by the subject matter. The use of a Monopoly board as a central metaphor cleverly underscores the show’s message: that the current rules of the economic game are rigged in favour of the few, while everyone else is set up to lose. It’s a reminder that, while the financial system may be dauntingly complex, the power to reform it is, ultimately, in our hands—if only we choose to wield it.

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