★★★★★
The lights are low, energy high. Sweat mixes with sweat and skin touches skin in a carnival of sound and strobe lighting. There is no past or future, only the here and now in this cocktail of cultures, this flurry of flesh made powerful by a shared sense of belonging and an all-encompassing duty to protect one another. To call it a nightclub doesn’t do it justice, this is a community.
This is the backdrop to ANTHEM, the Katie Greenall-created production now showing at the Bush Theatre. Starring and written with the guidance of the 18-25 Bush Young Company, a troop of young performers, the 75-minute show eschews a traditional narrative, instead taking a vignette format that makes excellent use of its limited runtime.
ANTHEM peels away the smooth, easygoing facade of youth culture, revealing the same steely core that gave life to all great social movements. Yet, at the same time as speaking for a whole generation, it offers a deeply personal look at individuals and their day-to-day thoughts and feelings. I’ve seen very little like it before, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
As mentioned, the production is composed of vignettes, each pulling the audience into a new character’s world and giving a snapshot of their life. Through dance, song, monologue, dialogue and combinations of the above, the cast touch upon the issues tearing them up inside, both large and small. From race and police subjugation to body image and social media overuse, the production plots a map of what it means to be young and scared in the 2020s.
And what does it mean? It means wanting to succeed but lacking the opportunity; it means feeling a drive to change the world but lacking the hope that makes that seem worthwhile; it means chasing any momentary shred of happiness, no matter how thin and unsatisfying it may ultimately be.
The themes of race and heritage loom large over the production, reflecting a generation noted to possess a greater drive than their parents to connect with their roots. It presents this as a grasp for meaning, for purpose. In a world where the milestones on the road to “adulthood” are increasingly unattainable—home ownership, a family, a career—is it any surprise to see young people finding unorthodox ways of connecting with God or celebrating familial traditions? The racetrack of life has crumbled and decayed. The kids are leaving it behind, and along with it comes a feeling of resentment towards the institutions pushing them to run faster whilst moving the finish line ever farther.
The other side of that search for meaning, the darker side, comes with nightlife. Clubbing, partying, drinking, dancing, singing so loud you can’t speak the next day. ANTHEM presents a nuanced take on nightlife. It doesn’t condemn it; in fact, at times it idealises club life. Nevertheless, it’s not afraid to bring to the surface how partying can be a hollow replacement for purpose and fulfilment. A (not advisable) tip for dieting is to drink a lot, to fill your stomach up with water so your stomach thinks you’re full, essentially drowning your hunger pangs. Water’s great, and you should regularly drink water, but if you’re hungry you shouldn’t go for the Evian. In the same way, clubbing is great, but if you’re fundamentally unsatisfied with life, you shouldn’t hit the town as a fix.
ANTHEM is the product of a culture that’s acutely aware of its own decline. It’s full of energy and angry at the world, yet it possesses a warmth for the people living within it. If that sounds contradictory to you, well, you might be right. However, you’re also the exact kind of person who needs to see this production.
Words by Jamie Davies
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