It’s the Economy, Stupid! – A Captivating Look at Maths, Money, and Personal Cost

The title of this performance is borrowed from a slogan devised during Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, which occurred amid a financial recession. In this context, the title is used with a heavy dose of irony. Writer-performer Joe Sellman-Leava suggests that blaming the recession for a broken economy is as misguided as blaming the weather for climate change.

This concept unfolds gradually during a dramatised lecture where Sellman-Leava, together with Dylan Howells, seamlessly weave macroeconomic principles with the personal economic challenges Sellman-Leava’s family faced. Born around the time of Clinton’s campaign, he narrates the story of how his shop-owner parents lost their business, succumbed to bankruptcy, faced bailiffs, and suffered eviction. Alongside, he shares his childhood fascination with money and mathematics, describing, “Maths was logical, money was magic.”

Howells adds to the dynamic by either rearranging the stage’s towering cardboard boxes or throwing in witty remarks. He also helps prevent Sellman-Leava from veering into overly passionate rants. “Joe tends to go off on one … so I’m like a regulator,” Howells says.

Developed and directed by Katharina Reinthaller, the performance makes strategic use of a Monopoly game metaphor to discuss ethical issues around financial dealings, although this analogy only partially succeeds. Nevertheless, Sellman-Leava and Howells make a strong double act, exhibiting a playful yet meaningful rapport. Sellman-Leava offers a condensed modern history of the British economy through the lens of his personal narrative, while Howells complements his delivery with occasional magic tricks that add a charming touch.

The aim is to make the intricacies of the economy accessible to everyday people, covering theories from Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” to John Maynard Keynes, as well as Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme, privatisation, tax policies favoring the wealthy, modern banking practices, and the current housing and energy crises.

Achieving this in just an hour is ambitious. Not every topic is explored in depth, and some complex issues are merely touched upon. Yet, both performers exude charisma and intelligence, leaving the audience wanting more and wishing for a deeper exploration to amplify the impact of the lessons conveyed.