ACT/REACT 3
THE KING OF SPAIN
~ or ~
The Decline in Quality of Political Discourse In The Past Year, Before That, and From Here on In, With Particular Focus on that Thing That Is Happening Now, With Songs
Directed by Tom Wateracre
MONDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2008 8PM @ THEATRE503
ALL TICKETS £5
BOX OFFICE: 020 7978 7040
Venezuelan Leader or Guardian Reader? Discuss. In song format, obviously.
Palin Interesting - a musical homage to the lady herself. Slightly tangential to the show perhaps, but we loved the song. And Tom plays a ukelele on it too. Rock!
Don't Shut Up - a hymn to the human need to communicate. Reach out, people.
On November 10th 2007, at the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, Chile, King Juan Carlos I of Spain interrupted Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, as he hurled invective at Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodruiguez Zapatero. The king loomed into Chavez' eyeline and said "¿Por qué no te callas?" ("Why don't you just shut up?")
This statement was interpreted variously as an insult, a "verbal slapdown", and undoubtedly the coolest thing the Spanish King had ever done.
The phrase became a cult slogan, turned into T-shirts and ringtones, jokes and satirical songs, and about 600 YouTube videos. The phrase was also used by anti-Chavez protestors in Venezuela, and was referenced in Spain's 2008 entry into the Eurovision Song Contest.
What does this event tell us about the state of political discourse? Is it more important to make column inches than a coherent argument? Tom Wateracre of Pegabovine finds out using only a guitar, three singers to play Prime Minister Zapatero, President Chavez and His Majesty King Juan Carlos I (all women) and the Theatre503 stage. See you there.
Click here to visit the Act/React blog.
Tom Wateracre is an actor, writer, comedy performer and songwriter (formerly performing as Davis Wateracre).
As a core member of Pegabovine, he wrote, performed and produced the Edinburgh hits PEGABOVINE: THE SLUSH PILE ("Clever, witty and charming... five stars" - Chortle) and PEGABOVINE: COAT OF ARMS ("Guaranteed to put you in a good mood" - Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). Pegabovine also produced Tom's two solo shows - SONGSCHOOL and 2008's PEGABOVINE: POLITE CLUB - which showcased Tom's original songs. Pegabovine have also produced a hugely-popular podcast, HOUSE OF MIRTH.
Tom regularly performs his comedy songs on the London sketch circuit. His songs have also been featured on the Comedy 365 podcast.
He has performed with the Penny Dreadfuls in AENEAS FAVERSHAM FOREVER at the Brighton Comedy Festival, and with Potted Productions on BIG BROTHER'S LITTLE BROTHER (Channel 4). He also acted in a short film with Andy Nyman ("Golf Sale"), and in various films on the Videojug website.