Scenrecension: If tyranny at the Gothenburg city theatre is either advertising actually need or übersofistikerad

Timothy Snyder is professor of history at Yale. He has published two acclaimed books about how stalinism and nazism made Eastern europe into a giant slaktplats, ”Bloodlands” (2010) and ”Black Earth” (2015)

But it is a to the format of modest self-help book for democracy, which transformed him into an intellectual superstar. Snyder wrote, ”On tyranny” as an immediate reaction on Donald Trump's victory in the us presidential elections in 2016. On the 120 spacious pages of the power he scenes from the european 30-talsdemokratins deathbed with advice on life-sustaining efforts for today's democracy: the vote, defend the common institutions, protect the language against the clichés, read the books.

Read more: Now explores the stjärnregissören Carolina Kinsman tyranny

the theatre of such a book? You don't do it. It just gives the impression of doing it. At the Göteborg city theatre has Carolina Kinsman, and her ensemble have chosen to keep snyder's title, and the references to him in marketing, but let the book stay at home in the mailbox.

instead, enact a kind of ”mockumentary,” a fictional documentary about an internationally active construction company from Gothenburg, sweden. The five actors presented their effort to reconstruct the elusive, but simultaneous everywhere present, the trader's life. They play up the interviews with the persons who may, may not, have known him. They show up photographs in which he might, might not, occur. They testify about how he has had a finger or a contract with in the game around most of what happened in Gothenburg, sweden, from music clubs to västlänkar.

It all has its merits. Maybe the actors tend to sometimes stumble upon the replicas, a such aware points; a way to suggerera forward authenticity to all these ”alternative facts”. But I still feel blown. I had after all expected to see snyder's theses and thoughts take shape on the stage, but can't find them in this either some hack or also übersofistikerade genrelek.

Read more: ”Donald Trump tells the battle's language,” says Timothy Snyder,

even completely sure what the rhinoceros, the ensemble builds of cardboard to symbolize. The endangered democracy? Or maybe it is for the truth and decency okänslige a populist, which forms the top, the only real clear common denominator with snyder's book? The builder from Gothenburg to become Trump's shadow, but also his negative. The one loves the towers. The other tunnels. One is an exhibitionist. The other, as soon as hermit. Making the pattern. But what should it say to us? To threats to democracy can be maritime to identify?

More than that can you ask also of an unfinished group work.

But the parade of old pop hits is fine. And I feel some respect for the smart move to let the theatre's press office to send a förhandsmejl with the request to reviewers not to tell you about the plot of the play because it could interfere with the audience's experience.

book review: Timothy snyder's ”On tyranny”

after having read an interview with the Brother, it was her way to pay attention to us at the Snyder-advice she herself stuck to: Obey not in advance.

Read more scenrecensioner here .