[and it is presumed that his of the…]

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and it is presumed that his of the working , class lor Sanders, a support- body has been totally certain sections of it).

One hundred years later individual, locking him up his cornse ia found. frozen in a cage would have been good play, very well written life, and say 'what did we I found this an extremely mitigate unt surace and also well performed fight for anyway, if I can't (which makes differ- even enjoy myself'. But the ence). It is quite clear that warning was not heeded, Prysipkin, the central and Mayakovsky's fears character, is not just one were realised in Russia, but individual, but is intended also in Spain, Yugoslavia, to represent the whole of and to a lesser extent, the bourgeoisie, or at any China. I think it is the best, is not found, rate the bourgeoisification and (unfortunately) most Jacob Sanders, a support er of the youth paper le youth paper Class Fighter, recently ighter, recently saw Mayakovsky's play ayakovsky's play "The Bedbug' performed in Oxford "THE Bedbug' was written by Mayakovsky, a Russian (as you may have guessed) in 1929. It is about an exworker, ex-party member who is fast turning bourgeois.

He counters the view, constantly pushed by those around, that he is 'betraying the revolution' by making excuses. (What did we fight for, anyway, if I can't even enjoy myself?)

He then caps it all by deciding to get married. However, during the drinking bout at the wedding party. there is a fire in which everyone present dies.

His corpse and it is presumed that his body has been totally consumed by the flames. consumed by the flames.

One hundred years later his corpse is found, frozen and preserved. It is decided to resurrect him using the technology of 2029. In this way, a flamboyant member of the bourgeoisie finds himself in the new, communist world. All attempts to civilise him fail and he is finally locked up in a cage as an exhibit. At the end of the play he invites the members of the audience to join him in his cage.

for If he had been just one cruel, but as a way of life, bourgeois habits could be extracted and locked up without any individual being caged.

It seems to me that this play was intended as a warning, an attempt to tap the consciences of those who would like to settle down into their old, corrupt way of life, enjoying their rather pathetic pleasures which merely midinanta thin arinfaro prophetic play seen.

However, I do have one very strong criticism and that is the space-age creatures. They are obviously cleaner, healthier and more virtuous than their 1929 counterparts, but they do not seem to be enjoying their lives very much which is presumably what socialism is about.

Jokes

But on the whole, I found "The Bedbug' an extremely good play, obviously written by someone who knows what he is talking about and with a few good jokes ('What year is this?' '2029'. 'Christ! (he counts on his fingers) 'Christ, I'm 100 years behind on my union dues!') taking some of the edge off the politics.

JACOB SANDERS

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Socialist Organiser no.95 August 12 198. ANRA 25m.