★★★★★
Wow.
Words do not do justice to how good Anthem for Dissatisfaction is. Told by two siblings Sarah and Jamie, it is a riotous celebration of anthems written by working class musicians, and the impact they had on working class teens.
Their parents lost their jobs and received benefits, at a time when negative stereotyping of those claiming benefits was pushed through the media. Money was tight and from a young age, the siblings were acutely aware of this, often feeling guilty when they got things that they needed. Music was important for their parents, especially those written by working class artists—as Sarah’s mum said, great adversity leads to great talent. This love for music filters down to the duo who are elated to find new artists who speak their language like Oasis, the Manics, Springsteen and later, Sam Fender. Their music inspires them to be angry about the state of the world, but also proud of where they come from.
Their relationship is so refreshingly nuanced, something that rarely happens on stage. Usually sibling relationships are portrayed as sickly sweet or at constant loggerheads with each other, but Jamie and Sarah are neither. Anything that’s Sarah’s eventually ends up as Jamie’s, but she never seems to be annoyed at him. Similarly, their love for each other is obvious, but they’re not afraid to tease and taunt each other.
As the play progresses, and the duo get older, they get opportunities that their teenage selves could only dream of. Jamie plans to move to Sydney, fulfilling his 18-year-old self’s dream to get out of Ireland. This leaves both them questioning their working class identities, and they feel almost as if they are traitors by buying takeaway coffees and avocados. Sarah worries about the future: she has recently learned she is pregnant, and worries how her family will look with her working class husband. It’s something they don’t necessarily find the answer to, but settle on feeling proud of both their hard work and their roots.
There’s so many relatable and powerful moments in the play, from Jamie’s annoyance at his posh uni mates singing along to Oasis, to teenage Sarah’s guilt at having to ask her parents to buy pads. Education is a privilege when it should be a right: even before university fees and accommodation costs come in, there’s expensive grammar school uniform and constant need for school supplies.
Loud, energetic and unapologetic, Anthem for Dissatisfaction is a cry to arms that resonates with not just working class people, but those who have ever heard a song and felt like it is written specifically for them. We need more working class people in theatre, but we especially need more stories like this that celebrate and uplift working class voices. It’s truly one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and I would urge everyone to go and see it.
Anthem for Dissatisfaction will be performed at Summerhall – Red Lecture Theatre until 25 August as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Ellen Leslie
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