Viva Brighton Issue #70 December 2018

REVUE
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The Treason Show
A clusterfudge of a year
Mark Brailsford is
uncharacteristically
lost for the right
phrase. “I know
you can’t use that
word. There might
be a better word,
without swearing.”
His eyes twinkle.
“It’s a clusterfudge.”
Our conversation
has turned to Brexit,
which is certain to
be a key part of the
satirical revue he’s directing this month. “We
scattergun everyone, both sides get it from
The Treason Show, but because the dominant
narrative is so incompetent, we only have to
cover what’s going on and we look like we’re
biased. And I can’t help that, because Brexit is a
disaster. Whichever way you look at it.”
Now in its 19th year, The Treason Show has
become a Brighton institution, reflecting
current affairs in a collection of comedy
sketches and songs. Although Mark founded the
show, he’s keen to emphasise the collaboration
involved. He reckons there have been well over
300 contributors since the original cast of four
trod the boards at Komedia. However, The
Treason Show might easily never have happened
at all. Back in 1999, Mark mentioned his work
on the Radio 4 Week Ending sketch show when
he met Geoffrey Perkins, then BBC Head of
Comedy. The Perkins response was “That
taught you two things: how not to write and how
not to be funny.” Mark “loved him even more
after that” and decided to drop satire in favour
of playwriting. Whilst arranging for his latest
play to be performed
at Komedia, he was
asked if he’d like
to set up a topical
sketch show. Despite
hesitating initially,
Mark decided on a
three-month trial
in June 2000. “After
two marriages and
near-bankruptcy as
well, the company
motto is ‘we’re still
here’.”
Indeed they are – and in the final stages of
assembling this year’s conclusive performances.
“You would think the Christmas show, which is
a ‘best bits’ show, would be easier to put together
than the regular shows. It’s not. It’s actually
harder. Because it’s a review of the year, it has
to encompass the big stories and then marry up
with our best material – and those aren’t always
the same thing.” Ultimately, Mark’s aiming for
“a distillation of the narrative”, he says. “There
are story arcs for every year. You will see a
thread of triggering moments that everybody’s
reacted to throughout 2018.” And so we return
to “the b-word”, as Mark puts it. “There will
definitely be a reaction to Brexit stuff. A mix
of people going ‘I don’t like that’ and others
cheering wildly. We want it to be a unifying,
cathartic experience. Making people laugh
together. It’s tougher to do comedy these days.”
Mark Bridge
That Was The Year That Was 2018 is at the
White Hart Hotel (Lewes) on Sat 22nd and at
Horatio’s on Brighton’s Palace Pier from Thurs
27th until Mon 31st. treasonshow.co.uk
Photo by Tom Gallagher
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