Content warning: this review contains references to suicide. If you require support, please contact the Samaritans through their website, or on 116 123.
★★★
Static Lives follows social media moderator Adam, who is left shocked and confused at his lack of reaction after watching a man livestream his suicide. He turns to his best friend Ben for support, but the pair end up going out drinking and arguing over their very differing views about distressing content online. Adam often feels like he cares too much, and he is consumed by this content. Ben scorns him for this, believing that people just pretend to care in order to look good. Their argument raises interesting points, and forces the audience to consider their own motivations for posting and engaging with online activism.
Between scenes there are movement breaks mostly consisting of hip hop–style dancing. These are well executed, and add something different to the show. Along with effective lighting changes and music, it greatly helps to set the scene: between the boys’ drunken mix of dancing and falling around on the floor, the bright disco lights and the thumping music, you really feel as if you’re in a club.
There’s quite a lot of discussion about caring so much it consumes you versus not caring at all because it’s impossible to care about every social issue in the world. However, neither of the boys discuss if it’s possible to find middle ground. Their discussions are important, but due to the context, it seems trivial that Ben expects Adam to switch off and go out with him to have fun. He doesn’t ask if he’s okay at all. Similarly, there isn’t any regard for the man who has died, which may have been intended to be a statement itself about desensitisation but just feels a bit superficial.
There’s lots of promise within the show, but the message feels diluted by the characters’ self-absorbed behaviour. Ben is unnecessarily harsh to Adam, accusing him of not really caring about anyone, then goading him into saying horrible things and posting it online to ruin his reputation. It takes away from their strong bond and quick-witted banter that we see at the start. That being said, Static Lives does raise lots of thought-provoking points about morality and performative activism, and has the potential to educate young people about desensitisation.
Static Lives was performed at Studio at theSpace @ Niddry St as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Ellen Leslie
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