Anthem for Dissatisfaction takes audiences on a time-hopping journey underscored by the biggest anthems of the 90s and noughties, charting the lives of two siblings growing up in working-class Britain. It’s a quintessential Fringe show: raw and relatable, landing somewhere between a gig, a play, and a rallying cry.
Simon Sweeney and Emily Lamey are magnetic, throwing every ounce of energy into the hour. Their dynamic as brother and sister, just eleven months apart, is both convincing and endearing, their bond driving the heart of the piece. The audience quickly invests in their relationship, laughing and nodding along in recognition.
The show doesn’t shy away from hard-hitting moments. A scene of family loss, where poverty is exposed as a cause of exhaustion, stress and ultimately death, is delivered with devastating clarity. It resonates not as a plea for pity but as an unflinching portrait of a reality too many recognise. Yet it is far from bleak: the piece brims with humour, pride and resilience. As the script reminds us, “Poor people write the best anthems.”
The soundtrack powers the production, weaving in segments of the best Oasis, Manic Street Preachers and Bruce Springsteen tracks. Each song takes on new meaning in this context, turning the stage into a space where hardship is sung back to you with gusto and joy.
The writing nails the frustrations of cost-of-living Britain with bite: soaring rents, rising gas bills, stagnant wages. It feels painfully current, yet never hopeless, delivered with warmth and determination. Sweeney and Lamey are instantly likeable; when the standing ovation comes, it feels inevitable. You can easily imagine carrying on the conversation with them over a pint.
If there’s one tiny criticism, it’s that the show occasionally tries to do too much in too little time. At just one hour, the story towards the end feels slightly rushed, with major moments such as the birth of a child wedged in rather than given space to breathe. The central sibling narrative, with its focus on survival and solidarity, is more than strong enough to carry the show alone.
Still, this is a production that leaves its mark. Passionate and pulsing with the anthems of a generation, Anthem for Dissatisfaction speaks directly to those who know what it is to grow up working-class in Britain.
