Review of UCL Drama Society's 'Little Brogues'
Photo Courtesy: Medina Makaeva
Last week’s ruling on the tragic Brianna Ghey murder brought the case back to fore and showed once again how often coverage on trans rights is sensationalised and toxified by social media. Her death occupied my mind as I watched Little Brogues, UCL’s Term Two play, complete its three-show run at the Seven Dials Playhouse in Covent Garden. The production deals with the death of a young trans woman whose life was made a misery by trolls on a networking site called Grapevine. The faceless abusers are empowered by new nepo-baby Grapevine CEO embarking on a rapid loosening of content moderation rules and unbanning of controversial figures. What follows is not just the tragedy of the young victim, but a wider reckoning around free speech policy and the company’s future.
Writer and director Thomas Round’s inspirations for Little Brogues are clear in both the play itself and the canny marketing campaign that accompanied it. Elon Musk’s face sits obscured on the poster and parodies of GQ and Time interviews featuring the cast were posted on social media. Meanwhile in the play we see hilarious references to Succession and a depiction of cigar smoking podcaster Mike Logan (Joe Rogan). Round ambitiously aimed to capture both Musk’s journey with X and the state of the media space that seems to become more inward looking by the day. With witty one liners about Camus and a hilariously smart interpretation of Succesion’s Greg Hirsch in the character of Graham, he succeeds in this goal.
The play sets into action as former Grapevine owner Bishop Harken’s will is being read. Members of the executive suite nervously pace around as they wait to hear which of them will be made CEO. This tense situation is shattered by the chaotic entrance of Clarence Harken, the young, rebellious son of Bishop, who proceeds to orchestrate a takeover of Grapevine. From this point we occupy the world of Clarence, a brash, charismatic, and louche college drop out. Whilst he does not have many principles or much business acumen, it seems one conviction has lingered. That is an unwavering commitment to free speech as touted by Musk and much of the American right. Clarence is determined to turn Grapevine into a First Amendment utopia, whatever the cost, both internal and external. Playing this tycoon in the making is Seth Robinson, whose flamboyance and brutal dressing downs capture the audience’s attention immediately. He frequently clashes with COO Yvonne Simmons and CFO Ernest Hirsch, played by Alexandra Hak and Rowan Creighton respectively.
Hirsch and Simmons act as foils to Clarence, variously trying to stymie him and plead for the protection of the company as he embarks on Musk-style personnel cuts and rebukes to advertisers. Ernest Hirsh personifies his name to an unhealthy extent, with his insistence on abiding by “the system” and appeasing Clarence trumping notions to undermine him. Yvonne takes the opposite stance, engaging in shouting matches with the patronising Clarence and conspiring to take him down permanently with boardroom subterfuge. Around the executive figures, the supporting cast add valuable emotion and context to the story. Billie Raynard is captivating and convincing as victim of the social media abuse Louise, and Alex Dunn shocks the audience with his witty musical turn as Graham.
Buttressing the world that Round creates is excellent set design by Chau Tran, Holly McClenghan, and a great soundtrack. We see Clarence try his hand at a Steve Job’s style keynote, turtleneck and all, but with the 2001: Space Odyssey theme playing the background. Earth, Wind and Fire is another highlight, Clarence’s dancing serving as comic relief but is also as cruelly ironic given the hurt he is enabling.
Ultimately the play runs beyond the current timeline of its inspiration Musk, with Clarence losing both his company and freedom by the conclusion. Humour and tragedy aside, this ending asks wise and pressing questions. The role of private companies in upholding the First Amendment at any cost has been debated vigorously, from podcasts to Congressional hearings. Clarence’s character, a college dropout inheriting the business, does well to prompt a discussion about how unqualified individuals are able to wield such power in massive virtual town squares. Simultaneously, Ernest’s mindless devotion to “the system” of censorship and corporate interests is equally questionable. The Financial Times recently published a study about content moderators working for Meta in Kenya, paid extremely little and obliged to comb through hours of scarring graphic footage. It seems in both Clarence’s and Bishop’s Grapevine there are critical flaws that arise from users’ ability to remain anonymous.
This term, Drama Society will be releasing two more productions, so stay tuned to their social media.