26th November, 1990 Newspaper of the London School of Economics Student Union Issue329 She's gone Thatcher era ended by party pressure 'i. Mm "Where to now, ma'am ?" - Thatcher driven out of Downing Street last week photograph - andrew bayley LSE student arrested at Downing Street celebration A LSE student was arrested near Downing Street last Thursday while celebrating Margaret Thatcher's resignation. The student had gone to Downing Street with others from the college to join the rally and 'street party celebrating the news of thre Prime Minister's resignation. He and eight others were asked to move on by the police and were warned they would be arrested if they id not comply. However, the student alleges that when he turned to walk away, two policemen grabbed him with unnecessary violence and held him in a headlock. He also claimed that he heard a policeman comment 'good headlock sarge' over the radio. The student said, "There was no reason for that kind of restraint; Iwasn't being violent or anything.' THe student was detained in Bow Street police station from 3:45pm to 5:30pmbeforebeing chained with obstructing the highway and disorderly behaviour. He pleaded not guilty in the magistrate's court last Friday and is awaiting trial on 8th Januaiy. It is believed two witnesses have lodged complaints against the unnecessaiy violence used by the police. Bow Street police station were unwilling to comment, saying, It's a matter that's got to be sorted out at court.' "Bastard" or "national saviour" ? LSE students react to the Prime Minister's resignation News of Margaret Thatcher's resignation spread rapidly through the LSE last Thursday, eliciting a general atmosphere of disbelief and celebration. However, the LSE Conservative Association was devastated by Thatcher's decision. Vice-President of the Association, Lee Marriot, said, *We are all extremely sad. We are completely indebted to Mrs. Thatcher's fine service and her eleven and a half years of excellent rule. This is a sad day indeed.' Nevertheless, most students did not share the grief of the Conservative Association. The Union General Meeting, which was scheduled only hours after the announcement, was evidence of the student body's general satisfaction with the Thatcher resignation. With sprays of champagne soaking the crowd, speaker after speaker denounced the Tories and their fallen leader. The proceedings had to be stopped several times in order to restore decorum. However, during the moments of control, the assembly did manage to pass a motion applauding the Prime Ministers resignation. General Secretary, Rob Middleton, said he was delighted by the news. Idont have ainy real feelings about the future, but I believe anybody could do a better job than Thatcher. Anybody.' Echoing Middleton's delist, Senior Treasurer, Mel Taylor, attacked not only Thatcher but the entire Tory party, ^argret Thatcher is a bastard and I'm glad she's gone. But she's not the only bastard. There is a crisis in the Tory party, we've got to exploit it now and get rid of them.' After the Thatcher motion was passed at the UGM, a group of approximately twenty students went to Downing Street to revel in what they considered to be a mtgor victory. The students kept a vigil for most of the af- ternoon, carrying signs from the Socialist Workers Student Society and chanting 'Maggie! Maggie! Maggie! Gone! Gone! Gone!' The School was more restrained in its response to the news. Director, John Ashworth, said 1 would like to say that I am delisted for the country and for parliament that this affair has come to a close. This last decade will definitely go down in history as the Thatcher decade. Regardless of how historians judge this period, she will definitely be remembered as a driving force.' Reports by Chris Forman and Swaha Pattanaik I 2 NEWS The Beaver, 26th November, 1990 Union Jack Mrs Thatcher, by announcing her resignation last Thurday morning brought home to the Union the full implications of passing SWSS motions without due care and attention. The revolutionary power of the LSE Student Union has arguably never been greater. Last year, the Union passed a motion calling for the then Chancellor of the Exchequor, Nigel Lawson, to resign. A week later he did. This year SWSS only had to table a motion calling for the Prime Minister to resign and she obliged. Of course, now Mrs T has gone, the LSE left is faced with one major (and that isn't Jack's tip for Tuesday) problem: moribund chants and slogans. Although for the moment, Thatcher, Thatcher, Thatcher...Going, Going, Gone' is sufficient, after Tuesday there could well be problems. Fortunately, all the candidates in the Conservative Party leadership race have either two syUable first names (Michael and Douglas) or two syllable surnames (Mtgor) and so fit most of the classic chants. However, the problem of finding couplets that both rhyme and scan for Prime Minister Heseltine has already got many LSE lefties reaching for their thesauri. The problem will, of course, not be so great should Douglas Hurd win. Themeetingitselfgotoffto aaunusualstart, with SU Press and Self- Publicity Officer, Gareth 1 was on Blockbusters once' Roberts giving his rendition of The Red Flag' on a piano that someone seemed to have carelessly left lying around in the Old Theatre. Traditionally, the left marks aU great political occasions with such songs. However, only a couple of the comrades on the LSE left seemed able to get passed the first line. This false start was greeted with a flurry of requests rangiag from The Internationale' to 'It's My Party and IH Cry if I Want To'. The most popular request of all was, surprisingly enough, IMaggie, Maggie, Maggie..etc'. What a piano could add to such a great choral piece is beyond Jack's comprehension. With the musical introduction over, there was only one possible thing to do: gloat at the Tories. All those sitting to the left of the right-hand aisle had come to the Union Meeting to do just that, and little things like the SU Constitution were not going to stop them. Indeed at the beginning of the meeting the left were so busy being smug that General Secretary, Rob Middleton, managed to get his report in. Not that anyone took a blind bit of notice. Then came the debate that everyone had come to hear. Or rather then came the cue for everyone to be as abusive as possible. For even in LSESU terms, last Thurday's meeting was exceptionally unfriendly. Andy 'Andrew' Struthers, who spoke in favour of suspending standing orders to discuss the Time for the Tories to Go' motion, is of course, used to getting everything thrown at him from insults to agenda papers. Fair enough. Anyone who tries to hog the microphone as much as he does, deserves a bit of stick. But the Union used to offer at least a degree of respect for first time speakers. No longer. The first speaker on the prioritised motion informed us that she was 'delighted that Thatcher has decided to go' and urged us all 'to go down to Downing Street as soon as possible' to celebrate. 'Shut up, boring', was the Tarbuckesque response from the balcony. Lee 'Biactol boy' Marriott speaking against the motion went for an altogether different approach. 'Which comprehensive school did you go to?.«Roedean or St Paul's Girls School'. He then refused to let her reply by not accepting a Point of Information. This level of abuse continued for the rest of the meeting, directed at both the old hands and the newcomers, making most of the contributions totally inaudible. Of course Jack hasn't got anything against abuse per se. Indeed it makes writing this column a hell of a lot easier. But unless we wish Union Meetings to be dominated by the same handful of egomaniacs, week after week, we have got to be more tolerant to new speakers. Maybe it was just the excitement of the occasion. It is not, after all, everyday that a Prime Minister resigns. Whatever, Jack will be looking out for the hecklers as well as the speakers from now on. Party chaos by Chris Forman A Pakistan Society party held at the LSE Old Building on Friday, November 9th, was broken up by a large group of gatecrashers. There was no violence, but the police were summoned to prevent any clashes between party-goers and the gatecrashers. A crowd of approximately 30 Sikh men attempted to gain entrance to the 'Bhangra Disco' without tickets just before 10pm. The belligerent behaviour of the group prompted the party's organizers to call the police. The police were there just as a security measure. In that type of situation you can never say what wiU happen,' said President o f the Pakistan Society, Rao Shabaz Aslam. As soon as officers from the Bow Street station arrived, they moved the gatecrEishers back from the entrance to the party. Somebody then set off a fire alarm, summoning the local fire brigade and causing the evacuation of the entire building. As the evacuation was taking place, the gatecrashers moved onto Houghton Street and started to chant "Long Live Khalistan", making reference to a separatist movement in India whose goal is the formation of an independent Sikh state. The fire brigade silenced the false alarm, and reopened the building. However the executive of the Pakistan Society decided to disband the party. Although the police maintained a presence in the area, all involved parties had left the area PNL back down by Swaha Pattanaik The two expelled members of the PNL who were elected to the executive of their SU have resigned from their posts under pressure from the college authorities. Julie Hunt and Gaynor Gardner were expelled from the college in August for their involvement in a fight at the anti-loans occupation of PNL's Kentish Town site in March. Earlier this month the PNLSU supported demands for an appeal, claiming that the students had been unable to defend themselves properly because disciplinary action had been taken over the holidays. In the elections held earlier this term Hunt and Gaynor received about 60% of votes for the positions ofUnion Secretary and External Affairs Officer repec-tively. The college authorities refused to recognise the validity of their election and claimed Gaynor and Hunt had been ineligible to stand for the post under the constitution because they were not currrent students. In the face of the PNLSU's KCL theft by Madeline Gwyon £7000 taken at the King's College Freshers ballwas stolen from the K C bar safe last week. The money had been placed in the safe by the bar manager, Chris Ladner. Ladner left both the safe and his office unlocked and unattended when he went to answer a phonecall behind the bar. It is believed that during this ten minute period a student entered the office and took the money. The theft took place between 11.30 and 11.40am when the bar was closed but the area around the bar was open to students. It is estimated that about 40 people were in the vicinity but no-one recalled seeing any suspicious behaviour. "The only people with access to the bar in normal cicumstances are the bar manager, the assistant bar manager and two of the sabbatical staff. They have all denied that a member of the casual bar staff could have stolen the money and say the thief to a King's student with 'ac-c[u ired knowledge of security arrangements'. Ladner said he and the other SU staff h ad been amazed at the thiefs audacity. He said the thief had' bottle enough to carry out such an act knowing full well that I could have returned at any moment.' Finance and Staffing Officer, Anthony Braddock-Northgate said he was distressed by the incident and said that the Union's financial position had been damged by the theft, as theUnion depends to a large extent on bar profits to subsidise its welfare expenditures, which would have to be reconsidered because of the theft. Braddock-Northgate said members of staff had been disciplined but also blamed Kings College Students Union for the lapse in security claimingit was "because of an error on the part of the Students Union that the safe was left accessible'. The theft was reported to Bo w Street police station who are now investigating the incident. by eleven o'clock. Even though this incident was resolved without injuiy and at relatively little cost, many have voiced concern over the event. The LSE should have better security so as to prevent such events fromoccuring,' stated ex-President of the Pakistan Society, Raza Ahmad. 'Considering the urban setting of the LSE and the fact that the buildings and grounds are open to the public, the School should have a system which can ensure that this sort of thing doesn't happen. Societies do not have the funding to hire private security. It is the School's responsibility.' * The School does have night security staff consisting of between 3 to 5 night watchmen who randomly patrol the buildings and grounds. In addition there is a closed circuit video monitoring system, and high intensity lighting in alleys and alcoves. However Mr. Coops, Director of Site Development and Services, said the School was taking all security measures it deemed necessary and financially sound. "We appreciate the situation, but quite honestly we do not run a police force. We maintain a small security staff. However we cannot ensure the protection of all staff and students. We would need a police force for that and we just don't have the money.' Coops will be meeting the sabbaticals this Thursday to discuss the Pakistani Party incident as well as security concerns in general. reluctance to force the two to stand down, the college threatened to withold sabbatical wages. This led many to claim that the autonomy of the Union was being jeapardized and several colleges, Includingthe LSE, passed motions supporting the PNLSU and any action they decided to take. Although the PNLSU originally refused to recognise the expulsions and was preparing for an occupation over the issue, the NUS recommended that such action would be unconstitutional. Last week Gaynor and Hunt stepped down from the posts "in the interest of unity, and the election was declared invalid. A spokesman for the SU, Dave Parker said, "We were making the mistake of laying ourselves open to having our autonomy challenged. The Executive does not have the right to challenge a constitution which has been ratified by the students'.He added the SU would continue to fight for an appeal for the expelled students. A re-election is expected next term in the third week of January. PhotoiTimna RoAcnhcinMn' Champagne socialism in action Ex-PM speaks on Europe ^ by Sarah Eglin and Maarit Kobonen Edward Heath, leader of the Conservative party from 1965 to 1974, addressed a packed Old Theatre last Thursday, on the day of the first round of the party's leadership contest. Those who hoped to get a prediction from him on the battle were disappointed. Nevertheless, criticisms of the woman who ousted him were scattered throughout his speech. Heath chose to speak mainly about Britain andEurope and took the opportunity to disparage Thatcher's attitudes to the issue. Heath claimed that Britain had "wasted 22 years' since he led it into the European Community in 1972. He said the countiy could not afford to 'stand on the sideline and loose all negoti ating power* as he claimed it had done before. Heath referred to the European Community as a club 'whpse rules you can't change if you join late'. He also criticized what he felt was the Prime Minister's'farcical'attitude. He said she was insisting on an agreement on an end result before discussing the beginning. He said Britain should recognise that the growth of the EC was inevitable. He added that if Britain was to develop her economy and retain any political influence in Europe, she should be involved in tMs expansion from the start. The speaker said the government's present attitude had already irrevocably damaged London's chances of being the Community's financial centre. Heath claimed that "the day of the nation state is over" and, "sovereignty is to be used for the good of the people and not to flatter the egos of those who rule." He condemned Thatcher's idea of a referendum as hypocritical alleging it would destroy parliamentary sovereignty from below. He called for a common currency to be instituted as quickly as possible and ridiculed the idea of having the ECU alongside the pound. He said, "A strong currency will always put out a weak one". Heath did not see a united Germany as a threat as long as it was within a united Europe. He told the audience of how he had drawn a domestic analogy when explaining this point to some Americans. 'JustasMichi-gan is not afraid of being dominated by California - which by the way is on the west coast -Britain should not fear being in a united Europe'. He concluded his speech saying that should other countries want to follow Thatcherite policies, they too could have high inflaton rates, high interest rates and a massive balance of payments deficit. Somehow this doesn't appeal.' The Beaver, 26th November, 1990 CAMPUS 3 The Rolling Paper Revue A night of comedy at the LSE This Friday the Old Theatre will be hosting a benefit gig organised in support of the Alchemy Defence Fund. Billed as 'a night of comedy and hempathy' some of London's finest comedians will be in attendance, these include the like of Arthur Smith, Tony Allen, Benjamin Zephaniah, Pat Condell, Mark Thomas, Martin Soan and the Music Lovers. 'The Rolling Paper Revue' has been put together in response to the case of Lee Harris, 'a well-loved and respected business man' from the Portobello Road who has been sentenced to three months in jail for selling cigarette papers and pipes. The Lee Harris controversy has attracted a certain amount of media attention. A Notting Hill shopkeeper of some twenty japars, Harris was recently convicted at Marylebone magistrates court of two offences under the 1986 Drug Trafficking Act. Mr. Harris, London's first victim of this controversial amendment to the-^feuse of Drugs Act, has been accused of selling pipes, pa^a^, scales and filters which he allegedly knew would be used by'dknnabis-smokers. ^his test case brought against Lee Harris has wide implications for the restriction of free trade. Desmond Banks, Harris's solicitor, asks: 'Does it mean that each time a shopkeeper sells a packet of Rizla papers or a box of matches he has to consider if it will be used in drugs'?' The Rolling Paper Revue is being held in the Old Theatre on Friday 30th November at 7.45pm. Tickets are £4 (with student card), available from the LSE Student Union. Lee Harris and his papers Look-A-Like Has anybody spoiled the remarkable similarity between NUS External Affairs officer Lee Marriott and snooker ace Steve Davis. Are the two related perhaps? I think we should be told. Bloody Hell - is a good solution what? this or * Neil Andrews I bottle fee PKOPizkTY OF GOP SAM WANTED: WOMAN MUSICIAN I need an accompanist for a short programme (6 pieces) to take place in the Women's Room on Tuesday 4th December. Pianist preferred (but would consider any viable alternative) and a competent sight reader since rehearsal will be minimal. Contact: Chris Fear via Webb Room pigeon holes (A219) or phone 081 506 1359. CAMPAIGN TO HELP THE HOMELESS Throughout the week (beginning Mon 26th Nov) the LSE Conservative Association will be holding a collection for the homeless of London. We are looking for people to donate any old clothes, blankets, cans of food etc. that they can spare in order to help the people who sleep rough on London's streets. This collection is one small way of giving something back to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. We need your help if this campaign is to be a success. A collection box will be situated opposite the Porter's Lodge, in the foyer of the Old Building. Please give generously and help us to help someone else. diary This week's diary is a collaboration between myself and horror novelist Clive Barker. Monday: Bloody awful! Nothing at all nasty happening today (except for the odd Tory gathering). No ritual disembowlings, no unpleasant games with garden shears, just the usual assembly of bodies and limbs somewhere in the dark confines of the Old Building. (Aerobics on the badminton court as usual). Tuesday: Quite obscene - where's the blood, guts and gore? It seems you've got a choice. A pleasant film (Lord of the Flies, OT) or a video nasty in the comfort of your own home. This weeks recommendation is 'The Beast of Man-dragora' - scream, cringe, get very frightened, enjoy! Urrrgh, something else nice. Tonight the Malaysian and Singapore Society are having a bit of a do. Tropical' is happening at Jacqueline's Disco, Wardour Street (8pm til horrifically late). You are advised to dress in a semi-formal manner, personally I'd go as the Creature from the Pit - it's up to you. Also tonight, the Jazz Society are holding a Jam (new one on me). This is happening at 7pm in C018 and will cost you 50p (outrageous!) Ah, now this is more like it, something really horrendous. Tonight the History Society presents 'The Discreet Charm of General Franco' by Professor Paul Preston. This abhorrent activity will take place at 5pm in room A506And don't forget the Rag Meeting (5pm, E206). Wednesday: What's this! Animal Rights and Vegetarian Society!?! Where's the blood? Where's the torture? Where's Freddy? Anyway, if you are a non-flesh eater why not go along for lunch (served,up between 12.30 - 2pm) New members are very welcome, they promise not to eat you. At 1pm today the Society for the Enlightenment of the Abie-Bodied are holding a meeting in E195. All sounds a bit too nice for my liking. Ah, now this really is more like it. Tonight ENTS present the Contagious Theatre Company who will be doing something quite nasty. We're not talking thumb screws and decapitation but we are talking a 'weird tale of drugs and alcohol'. Enjoy! Finally the Art Society will be meeting again this evening. If you've got nothing better to do why not KILL some time in C018, not sure what they're painting this week (a disfigured corpse maybe?) but do go along. By the way, don't forget to take along your best drawings as an exhibition is being planned. (Let's hope they accept my contribution 'Man Being Hung By his Testicles'). Thursday: Oh what! Whatever happened to the Houghton Street 'Let's see that Tory hung, drawn and quartered' evening? Tonight a very tame substitute - Jazz in the Tuns, nothing particularly blood curdling about that. And as for this, the ULU Orchestra and Chorus performing Handel: Coronation Anthems and Borodin: Symphony no.2 - what can I say? (Only that all this is happening at St. James's Piccadilly, 8pm). Friday: Repulsive! Quite disgusting! Really not very nice at all! Yes, those are the words being used to describe tonight's major event. The Rolling Paper Revue is happening in the Old Theatre at 7.45pm. Alternatively, why not check out the Nightlife Society. They're having a Peace Jam in the Quad and C018, 7pm 'till late. Saturday: STAKE your claim, buy a ticket from those repulsive Tequila people (why weren't you banned, you animals?) for their Christmas party. If you like that putrefying atmosphere of spilled larger, cigarette ash and that disgusting smell permeating from the toilets then tonight is for you (I know it's for me). What time will these atrocities start? 7pm they tell me, but you must be out by 11pm. Sunday: Yeah, some aggression at last. Join thousands of others at 11am at the western exit of Earl's Court tube for a demonstration against the Smithfield show. Take a machete or a howitzer along, they may come in useful. I'm all for a bit of maiming, hurray for horror! Daphne Dare is at the Paris Summit 4 OPINIONS The Beaver,26th November, 1990 Thatcher obituaries s\ f : NV.S ^ N HASTE Letters ta £20S h»nd or inter&olawil for 3pm o& A Thatcherite must remain head of government. Changes which she began in 1979 must be completed by a new right-wing Conservative government. Mr Heseltine is not capable of carrying out these changes. When Mrs Thatcher was elected in 1979 the greatest revolution since 1642 was about to begin. Much has been achieved, but still more remains to be done. The revolution has been a social one. The disestablishment of the Establishment. Just as Cromwell was able to take power away from the Monarchy, so Mrs Thatcher has taken power away from the aristocracy. The transformation of this country from an aristocracy to a meritocracy is in full swing. Only someone such as Mr Hurd or Mr Major can continue the work. Heads of government and industry now lead this country not because they went to the right school or were born of blue blood but because of their abilities. Mrs Thatcher is an excellent example. It has taken ten years for these changes to occu r. SomethingthattheLabourparty failed to achieve in all its history. That is why it has lost its direction. Mr Heseltine's attack on Mrs Thatcher was not of his doing. Yes indeed, one day he wishes to be PM. He knows that today is nothistime.Thatis why at first ' he refused to stand. He was pushed by the Tory establishment (Heath, Prior, etc). He is their last hope to regain control of the party. They believe it is better to create a split (exploiting the media's hysteria) and lose the next election rather than lose control of the party. Mrs Thatcher's revolution has affected almost every corner of our society. Industries have become more efficient. Britain is no longer the laughing stock of the Western world. However more has to be done. The Health Service must be reformed to make it more efficient. There are still a number of industries that must be privatised. And finally the most sacred of cows must be reformed: the Civil Service. A bastion of the establishment. Over the years they have frustrated both Labour and (Conservative governments. They have run the country for their own benefit. At different times in history certain people are put on this earth to do a job for the good of society. Mrs Thatcher has begun the job of preparing this country for the 21st century. The job is not yet done. A Thatcherite member of the Conservative party must continue the revolutionization of this country. Long live the revolution! Fred Simkin The Beaver Editor Managing Editor News Editor Campus Editor Features Editor Arts Editor Sports Editor Piiotograpliic Editor Hnancial Director Simon Williams Peter Harrad Swaha Pattanaik Michael Chappell Juanita Shepherd Sarah Eglin David Viney Andrew Bayley Leo Griffin Production Team Liz Langley, Uavid Welsh, Neil Andrews with Erin, Bo Bocresion, Dan, Nancy, ?u'x 80- \V(, JX SigliiilUn' 6 ARTS The Beaver. 26th November. 1990 The Brookside Allstars "To"-the latest play at the Young Vic In accordance with its very short title, "To" is a pretty short play - about an hour and a half to be accurate -and has about as small a cast as is possible, of just two players. That is not to say that only two characters appear, or that it is short on action. The two actors concerned display a range of varying personalities, some enjoyable to watch, others apparently pointless. Yet their acting cannot be faulted. The script on the other hand, can be. "To" is set in a Northern bar which is run by a tight-fisted landlord (John McArdle from "Brookside"), and his easy-going wife (Sue Johnston, from the same show). It is clear from the start that the superficial bickering of this pair is hiding some dark secret, but what this may be is not discovered until the end. Meanwhile, the audience is introduced to the different drinkers in the pub. The first character to appear is a retired woman who has come to the pub to cscape both from her crippled husband and the drudgery of her life looking after him. This depressing existence represents one type of relationship, and thus is an aspect of the bringing together of men and women that the author, Jim Cartwright, is attempting to comment upon. What the woman says is to be compared with the later relationships which are portrayed within the course of the play :"We have each other..there's a lot of happy memories somewhere." The play has been written so that every time action slows to this kind of sobriety, it is immediately followed with humour and lightheartedness. This structure, with the repetitive placing of serious scene next to humourous,is echoed by the rhythmic and repetitive language. It is not easy to say which type of scene "works" better, as there are powerful moments in each, such as the jealous husband and his deferential wife, and the man in his dark glasses who attempts to chat up a member of the audience with every cliched phrase possible, before his long suffering girl friend appears. Even with humour, Cartwright still points out the imperfections present in Actor John McArdle on stage at the Vic all these relationships. It is difficult to know whether to take this as being the whole crux of a serious play - that it is better to simply be alone -or just to accept it as being "Brookside" on stage, with its usual demonstration of life "as it really is"; amusing and sad. The number of different characters introduced, and the fact that they obviously cannot appear for very long, as only two people are playing them all, leaves the play without a strong sense of being rounded. This is though clearly the intention because we start and end with the same two characters. By the time the audience discovers the reason for Four notes is £4 Can't afford the ENO? We review a mini-opera at Drill Hall their tenseness, the impact has been lessened by the overall sketchiness inherent in the structure of the play. In the programme for 'To", there is an interview with the two stars, who express their wish for people to come to the play to see them, but to go away having enjoyed a good play. By all means go to see "To" for the actors, as their performances will not be a disappointment. However, if you actually want to sec a good play, and are heading in that direction, stop at the Old Vic and see "Kean" instead! "To" is on at the Young Vic until December 22nd. Sarah Ebnar "Four singers, one pianist and four notes". To have only four singers in an opera, and then to boast of an orchestra consisting of one piano, gives one the impression that Tom Johnson's 'The Four Note Opera' will not be a 'run of the mill' comedy. ?As the set consists of an olympian garden, a number of stone chairs surrounding the stage, and a purposeless snake curled around a pillar; the audience begins to feel an air of the absurd. The Set is not elaborate by any standards yet it is able to capture a certain minimalistic feeling. This should be expected as Johnson himself is a minimalist who enjoys working with scaled down materials while his compositions tend to comprise of predictable permutations and sequences. The opera itself is about the singers expressing there distaste towards what they are actually singing; once the Tenor broke out in song: "Every time I sing this opera I find it more humiliating". Meanwhile, beneath the surface rivalries form between them. The Tenor and Baritone both seek the affection of the beautiful Contralto. Needless to say, the comedy surrounds this 'love' triangle. As the pieces continue, you find that the glossy humour eventually gets tedious as the performance never develops any real depth. The performers constantly convey their frustration at beingatthe composer's mercy, which quickly goes beyond the point of ironic humour to persuading the audience to feel the same. However, for a mini-opera it is an unusual experience to listen to the complaints of the singers as they fall over one another in the pursuit of love. Had the aria's been more inspiring and less monotonous, it would definitely have gained more substance. So, is it worth £4 (Concessional fee)? The answer in my opinion would be no, unless you are really into avant-guard -although you are allowed to bring your drinks'into the theatre, so it has a lot going for it in that department. 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