Review: Racists, Recessions and Revolutions, Hen and Chickens Theatre

It’s likely that if you are reading this you are a little bit too informed to fall for most of the online clickbait that floods social media nowadays. Those stories written solely to create anger, because anger leads to engagement and engagement leads to revenue. Because ultimately that is what it’s all about, making money.

Racists, Recessions and Revolutions takes us through ten years of this clickbait, starting bizarrely in Veles, a small Macedonian village where a small collection of its residents realised just how easy it would be to rile up people online enough to get that ad revenue flowing. It sounds ridiculous but there is a large grain of truth in this. Many of the crazy stories around the 2016 US presidential elections, a time seen as where this all started, were found to have emanated from this one location. Not because they were Trump supporters and wanting to sway the election in his favour, but simply because they had worked out how to play the algorithms and make money. It was just unfortunate that the easiest target audience also happened to be extremist of a right-wing persuasion. What seemed a victimless way to earn money eventually proving to have severe consequences. 

After Macedonia our anti-hero Nadica (co-writer Isabella Jovanova Heaver), now back in England, turns her attentions to matters closer to home to continue the enterprise. She’s helped by COVID and lockdowns, further hotbeds for online conspiracies which are again perfect for clickbait. Things quickly escalation, Nadica swept away by greed, until the consequences of her actions ultimately hit home. 

It’s a clever piece of writing, taking that original grain of truth and wrapping it in a personal story. As crazy as it all gets there is very little here that couldn’t really be true, and the writing plays beautifully on that. 

It perhaps stretches it’s ending a little too far, running slightly closer to 70 minutes rather than the advertised 60, and it could do with losing those extra 10 somehow just to tighten things up. But nonetheless Heaver manages to keep the energy up throughout. From the off she is extremely likeable and draws us into her life. Even as you finally realise how she will say anything for an extra click on one of her fake stories, it’s still difficult to dislike her. After all, isn’t she just preying on the stupidity of people! 

Harry Conway’s directing debut is promising, keeping his performer in motion so that things never start to flag. The clever yet simple use of costume changes and props demonstrate how you don’t need a big budget to get big results. The quick stepping out of her skirt to reveal sparkling shorts to represent a time of excess and partying is judged perfectly. 

Likewise, sound is used to good effect, snippets of news to reinforce when and where we are while highlighting some of the crazy fake stories that exist. Although sections of lip synching need more practice to get them right.

Racists, Recessions and Revolutions might have its heart a theme that has already been done countless times; the perils of social media and its role in spreading division and anger, but it does so in a completely unique and enjoyable style. The fact it comes from a position of truth makes it even more disturbing, even if we find ourselves laughing at the absurdity of it all. It’s wonderfully brought to life by Heaver’s infectious energy, and while it might benefit from a few cuts it’s still thoroughly engaging. You’ll want to find out just how far one person might go to increase her clicks.

You can read more about this show in our recent interview here.

Written by Meade Conway and Isabella Heaver
Directed by Harry Conway
Lighting design by Flick Hemming
Sound design and composed by Theo Foley
Set and costume design by Eve Oakley

Racists, Recessions and Revolutions has completed its run for Camden Fringe, but is now playing at ZOO Playground as part of Edinburgh Fringe Festival.