The Memorandum

Written by Václav Havel
Translated by Vera Blackwell
toured Scotland in 2006 .

Havel is one of the twentieth century's leading playwrights. Long associated with the intellectual opposition to Stalinism in (the then) Czechoslovakia, to the extent of being imprisoned for his beliefs, he went on to be President of the Independent Czech Republic. THE MEMORANDUM is his masterpiece.
A highly comic and rhythmic satire on bureaucracy and the power games which go on in the office, and, by extension, the state, the play exemplifies Havel’s own assertion that the theatre is always about politics. That is not to say political in the sense of supporting this or that ideology, but that it is concerned with examining the way in which human beings relate to each other by power, or the lack of it.

Although written in reaction to the times and conditions he was living under, the play remains as relevant as ever. In present day Britain, where we are arguably living in an era of increasing “spin” , and ever more complex bureaucracy and “red tape”, with the resultant growing mistrust of politicians, the allegory of the play hits home. In THE MEMORANDUM, Havel’s insight into communication theory gives rise to a deadly (and often hilarious) probing of the power structure of a society based on the interpretation of incomprehensible but sacred texts. New men come to power by imposing the use of a new language only they can manipulate and understand.

The play in Communicado’s hands becomes a hilarious but terrifying nightmare performed at breakneck speed and follows in the tradition of our productions of plays from Eastern Europe such as Nicolai Erdman’s THE SUICIDE and Pavel Kohout’s FIRE IN THE BASEMENT

Tours

(February/March 2006)
Perth Theatre, Perth
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy
Carlops Hall, Carlops
Howden Park Theatre, Livingston
Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling
The Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock
Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh
The Wynd Theatre, Melrose
Gilmorehill G12, Glasgow

Reviews