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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Arifa Akbar

Trueman and the Arsonists review – timely revival of 50s dystopia

Simon Stephens London Roundhouse
Trueman and the Arsonists at the Roundhouse, London.
Trueman and the Arsonists at the Roundhouse, London. Photograph: Harry Elletson Photography

There is a great timeliness to this revival of Max Frisch’s 1953 dark comedy, Biedermann and the Arsonists, about a dystopia in which firestarters are running amok. A city is ablaze and its authorities are on the chase for whoever is lighting the fires. The symbolism of oil drums on stage resonates deeply in our time of climate emergency.

Trueman and the Arsonists at the Roundhouse.
Indie-band cool … Trueman and the Arsonists at the Roundhouse. Photograph: Harry Elletson Photography
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