I’ve been to the theatre twice this week – once to see Counted, and once to see Jerusalem. Both, in their different ways, were deeply thought-provoking. In between, I’ve been moving house and unpacking box after box while half-listening to the election campaign.
Counted was completely different to what I expected from my conversation with the directors. It’s short, very depressing, and doesn’t seek to offer any explanations or justification. It’s full of people who make many choices in their lives (on which no judgement is offered) but just don’t do anything about the bigger picture – except that one man who campaigned about his local traffic lights. I wouldn’t have said it’s entirely a laugh a minute night out, but it should be required viewing for every politician.
If I didn’t know better, I would say David Cameron’s Big Society team had been to see it years ago: the interviewer’s main aim was to underline how the people he spoke to DID have choices in their own lives, and COULD achieve the things they really wanted if they got involved. It was all very down-beat though; there were no glib or quick-fix answers.
This afternoon, while unpacking the last box, I listened to David Cameron at the rally in Batley and Spen, surrounded by a huge group of parents and teachers who want to set up their own school, but whose council keeps refusing. Those people were immensely engaged in their community and were willing and able to put in the work that is required – but the state just kept saying no. The Big Society is about saying yes. Michael Gove has already said yes. People just need to vote for a Conservative government (I know that’s glib. But it’s true – the legislation is ready to go).
The point, I think, of Counted is that unless people see an effect from their choices, they will become less and less engaged in them and eventually just withdraw from anything approaching a community or society. The only way to reverse this is to hand power back to people and for the state to say yes.
Tickets for Counted, which runs until May 22, are available here
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