Mark Thomas, Cuckooed: Stockton Arc
EVERY time I see Mark Thomas I walk away knowing I don’t do enough. The veteran activist, alleged comedian (thanks to the Met for that description) and journalist is simply inspiring. The politically engaged firebrand was on typical form and, as always, he was largely preaching to the already converted, but he’ll never exit a room without leaving food for thought.
The first half of his latest show, saw him dip back into the masterpiece that was his 100 Acts of Minor Dissent project. His campaign of mischief was shared to an enthusiastic crowd that lapped up his tales of sending breeze blocks to junk mailers and covering bad books in shops with "Staff recommendation: keep the receipt" stickers. The true gravitas of his occasionally frivolous campaign was more apparent in the protest that ensured cinema workers were paid fairly or the mass game of What’s the Time, Mr Wolf? that led to the scrapping of plans to charge for sport played in public parks.
The second half was a stark reminder of the seriousness underlying just about everything that drives Thomas in his work.
Thomas and his friends were infiltrated by a spy working for arms manufacturer BAE Systems and the experience devastated them. Cuckooed documents the reality of your best friend working for the enemy and it explores the nature of betrayal in a simple and incredibly moving way.
It was a heartfelt exposure of a surveillance culture that spies on thousands of people, from well-meaning activists to the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. It is an act staged to say enough is enough.
Joanna Morris
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