A Reality Show as a Mirror of Oppression
The performance The Panic Song Show by the Italian ensemble offered a glimpse into a twisted reality show where participants, under the watchful eyes of the uncompromising organizers, did not exercise their own free will. From the very beginning, the audience was told that the performance would not only be broadcast live – clearly to enhance its authenticity – but would also portray violence and use intense lighting effects. But was this really necessary to convey the main ideas of the play?
The production presented two distinct worlds – one full of color, laughter, lighting effects, and neon costumes worn by the hosts of the grotesque show, and the other, of the participants who had been dragged into the contest against their will. Their reality was filled with pleas born out of forced submissiveness, the necessity to obey, and the looming threat of harsh consequences if they refused.
The social status of each participant was also reflected in their costumes – often made of plastic sheeting, under which the actors wore only underwear. It was in this vulnerable attire that scenes of violence were enacted, scenes that indeed carried emotional weight. However, since the entire concept of the show was clearly built on the intention to shock, these moments – which would have benefited from silence and a sense of intimacy – were drowned out by absurdity: illogical musical interludes, excessive lighting effects, and noise, including a scene where the host turns into a rapping Batman.
Rather than allowing the main theme – seemingly the system of oppression and the fluidity of the roles of oppressor and oppressed – to emerge more clearly from the context, the performance was oversaturated with effects that ultimately blurred its message. And that is a shame. The theme had the potential to be portrayed with real power, perhaps even within the same aesthetic the production team employed, but the emphasis on shocking form overshadowed the content. Although the performance was undoubtedly original, I must describe it as one of the weaker entries of the entire festival.
