Netanyahu Addressing Congress
Exquisite pantomime
I might be wrong in thinking farce is peculiarly English because I may be thinking of the English farce which is peculiar in itself. I’m picturing men in button up shirts, long socks and boxers, each running in and out of doors, completely oblivious to the other men doing the same. What makes it farce is that it’s utterly ridiculous but only the audience seems aware of how ridiculous it is.
An English pantomime is a musical based on an old fairy tale where the leading male and female are both played by female actors. They are destined to form a lifelong heterosexual relationship and no one in the audience is struggling with the irony. The other men dressed as women are garish, unattractive and sometimes crude. They enter self obsessed and retire chastened. Though self important, their lack of self reflection is slightly endearing allowing some connection with the audience.
The baddy in the pantomime is so obviously horrid that your pet poodle would recognise it. He revels in his evil even to the point of mocking the audience whose animosity he relishes. Donald Trump is the archetype villain, feeding off the love of his followers and disgust of his detractors. Trump was made for this age of performative politics. Unfortunately (or fortunately) life isn’t a pantomime and its very likely that Trump’s legacy…
