Lessons on Revolution is a political theatre performance mixed with autobiographical stories. It can be found in the Former Women’s Locker Room in Summerhall (Venue 26).
This show tells two true stories at once – the first being a journey to the London School of Economics (LSE) in 1967, where students protested the appointment of Walter Adams as the new Director of the school. Then, in 1968, there was another student-led occupation of LSE in protest of Britain’s cooperation with the Vietnam War. The second story told during the show is that of the two performers – Gabriele Uboldi and Sam Rees – as they wrote the show together in their London flat.
Lessons on Revolution offers a theatre experience like none other. Upon entering the room, Gabriele and Sam offer the audience biscuits and squash, and ask for volunteers to read out parts of their script. It encourages the audience to feel included in the story they’re trying to tell and creates a more casual environment than can usually be found within a theatre production.
Uboldi and Rees are unwaveringly charming and charismatic throughout their performance. At the onset of the show, they give a disclaimer to warn that they are not professional actors or performers, but that is hard to believe when listening to them talk. They have an easy chemistry with each other, which makes watching their production an absolute pleasure.
It is hard to pin down exactly what Lessons on Revolution is about, and what the show as a whole is trying to get across to its audiences – to paraphrase part of the show: Rees and Uboldi tell the audience the facts, and it is up to each individual to decide what those facts mean to them, or if they mean anything at all. It is for precisely this reason that it is an essential show to fit into your Fringe schedule. It’s an entirely unique style of theatre, and will leave each and every audience member with a different message.
