Friday, 2 September 2011

"... how nakedly and cynically successive governments have lied ..."

[Cosmic Hobo's blog The Scarifyers yesterday published a delightful interview with actor David Benson. The section on his play Lockerbie: Unfinished Business reads as follows:]

Last year you got rave reviews and sell-out audiences for your Edinburgh play Lockerbie: Unfinished Business, which on the face of it might not have seemed a sure-fire hit. Were you surprised?

Yes, very. It was a risk, to take on such a serious subject after a string of frivolities; though I should say that all of my shows have some depth to them I hope, a bit of emotional texture. When it comes to choosing an idea to develop into a show, I just take whatever is on my mind at the time and Lockerbie came unexpectedly to the surface as a possible project. I have long known about Jim Swire and his heroic and dogged pursuit of justice for his daughter and the other 269 people murdered. What I find excruciating about the story is how nakedly and cynically successive governments have lied about who did the bombing and done all they could to cover up the truth. I find it shocking beyond belief and I hate these politicians for continuing this massive injustice. So it was a natural thing for me to write a show about it and I put a lot of my own anger into the performance. However, I did not think it would be of interest to many people, so I was delighted and amazed by the reception it got – and still gets on tour.

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