Brexit stage left: how theatre became the best way to understand today’s Britain | Martin Kettle

Our political class is still struggling to make sense of the EU referendum. But thankfully our playwrights are finding the words

The Brexit referendum asked voters to make a simple choice. But, as we are still discovering, many other national fractures came together last June. Dislike of migration, impatience with the political class and resentment of London all figured heavily in the mix. Most of us are still trying to absorb the lessons and to find adequate ways to address them.

That undoubtedly still goes for most politicians. It was easy to say Brexit meant Brexit. But, nine months on, the political class is still groping towards a fuller and wiser understanding of what the June 2016 vote means. The House of Lords began to get its act together this week when it debated the article 50 bill. But the Commons still seems traumatised whenever the decision to leave Europe comes up.

Related: Brexit is Theresa May’s Falklands war: a weapon of mass distraction | Zoe Williams

Related: Should today’s Labour pick up where the SDP left off? This play makes you wonder | Polly Toynbee

Continue reading...