Cardboard Citizens are one of the leading UK companies in Theatre of the Oppressed. For over 20 years they have provided a voice to the homeless community. Working with actors who have been affected by homelessness, the company focuses on creating work looking at the causes and effects of being without a home. They have consistently created an open platform for discussion working with diverse audiences across the UK. With a sterling reputation for excellence, their new show Benefit by Sarah Woods brings to light the true stories of people affected by the failing welfare system.
Split into three intertwining tales, we first follow Rosa in Sanctioned which looks at the never ending bureaucracy jobseekers find themselves in. Then we follow Craig and his wife in Zero, where the frustration of zero hour contracts leads to an addiction. And finally we meet Patrick, where the regulations surrounding incapacity payments are strongly scrutinised.
The play is inventively directed by artistic director Adrian Jackson. The simple set allows for the acting, direction and more importantly the ideas of the play to shine. The play is at its strongest when the ideas are expressed in the quiet intimate moments and great emphasis is placed on the reality of the stories portrayed. It is a darkly comic glimpse into a frustrated and flawed system that thrusts people into vulnerable situations. There are also moments of brilliant wit and creativity, especially in the third story PIP where Patrick literally cannot understand the baffling criteria for Personnel Incapacity Payments.
Writer Sarah Woods has done a wonderful job of collating authentic human stories that are portrayed with great sensitivity by an open cast. In particular Mark Lockyer as Craig stands out. His subtle performance draws you into the character’s story, evoking great empathy. This is a courageous play representing a pocket of society that is widely debated with scrutiny and judgement.
In the second act the audience is invited to part take in an experiment in forum theatre. A debate is opened up, and we can be directly involved in the stories of the play. A vote is taken to decide which story is chosen to look at in more detail. Led with great ease by artistic director Adrian Jackson and lead facilitator Kerry Norridge, the audience becomes a new character within the journey of the play. Scenes are replayed and anyone can stop the action to jump up and try to change the outcome of a scene. I found the experience extremely liberating, with rich moments of humanity coming out of the open dialogue with the audience.
For anyone who goes to see Benefit, I urge you to join in the discussion and take the opportunity to share views and learn from the skilled team of facilitators. The play embarks on a UK tour which will see the company visit prisons, day centres, and hostels, taking it out to those who have been directly affected by the issues. Theatre has long been a key tool to spark thought and Cardboard Citizens are leading the way with this important and moving piece of work. I highly recommend the production and look forward to seeing more from this fantastic company
The play runs @ The Pleasance Theatre until March 8th before embarking on a UK tour
Running Time: Play 60 minutes with 60 minute Forum/debate
by Josh Enright
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