Eurohouse - Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Eurohouse. Photo: Jack Offord

​Eurohouse is a play that makes you think. There is no doubting that. Strong, subtle and clever - you're left for 50 minutes wondering how this will all relate and then the gaps are filled in with a series of statements about the Greek financial collapse.
 
With all the lighting, sound, projection, story and costume being controlled by the actors, this is a play very much about two people and what they stand for: one Greek and one French. It quotes itself as being "A darkly comic look at the EU's founding ideals and what got lost along the way.” But it is so much more than that. The whole play is very much an extended metaphor for the oppression that has been placed on Greece, by France and other countries through the bail out from Europe. It shines a light on personal stories, stories affected by this oppression, which makes it a rather disturbing watch. This is a great concept, but Eurohouse leaves a lot to the imagination and its experimental approach to the storytelling makes it challenging to view as an audience member. 
 
Having received arts council funding, the intimacy of this project really illustrates that there should be more resources made available for plays like this. These contemporary issues are a necessity of theatre.
 
The most heartfelt moment was the prologue to the show. Pre-show the actors came to the front of the stage and introduced themselves. The ice is broken by the intimate holding of all the audiences hands as we are invited to talk to the other patrons about why they came to the show and where they were from. This intimacy was a stark reminder and strong metaphor for the Greek crisis.
 
Catch Eurohouse at The DOOR, Birmingham Repertory Theatre until Saturday.