He cleverly uses placards, sticky labels and quotes to highlight the fact that racial statements have been used for centuries and how the human race still uses racist language today. He takes on different personas to highlight this and does Donald Trump, David Cameron, David Starkey and many others that you’ll know and he does them well. The quotes he uses have all been said by the above.
The play is also fun. If you’re in the front row, expect to get involved. At one point he gets one of the girls from the audience (it was prearranged) to read out the messages on some labels. It was a conversation between himself and some girl he’d got chatting to on Tinder. Although she didn’t take a fancy to what she considered to be an Indian guy (Joe is British), she continues to be racist. Clearly she feels the need to have the last word.
Labels asks important questions and challenges its audience throughout. We are all from earth and immigrants shouldn’t be allowed to drown just because we’ve decided that we are somehow better than them.
Joe’s presence commands full attention. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing what he has in store for the Edinburgh Fringe next year.
Go see it and speak with Joe after the show. he seems like a really good guy.
Labels, Pleasance Courtyard, Beside, 3 – 29 August 2016, 2.15pm.
