No For An Answer

Inspiring Ensemble, Downbeat Musical

No For An Answer

Music and libretto by Marc Blitzstein

Arcola Theatre, part of the Grimeborn Festival, at Arcola Theatre, Dalston until 29^th July

Review by Patrick Shorrock

Marc Blitzstein is possibly best known today for his translation and adaptation of Brecht and Weil’s Threepenny Opera rather than his own work.  Tim Robbins’ 1999 film Cradle Will Rock told of the struggle against censorship to put on his political opera, The Cradle Will Rock, which was directed by one, Orson Welles.

Dawn Upshaw’s wonderful disc I Wish It So – recorded in 1993 (!) and one of my most played CDs, features Blitzstein along with Sondheim, Weil, and Bernstein.  The Blitzstein songs on that disc hold their own against this formidable competition and include In The Clear from No For An Answer.   Unfortunately, most of the other music in No For An Answer – apart from the rousing chorus that concludes Act 1 –  is musically rather dull and not on this level.  Even the programme note refers to the lethargic process of its composition. 

The piece is not exactly riveting dramatically either.  It tells of a social club for Greek workers who are, in many cases, out of work and for whom the club is a lifeline.  It is in an area that is about to be redeveloped and the club’s existence is threatened by police corruption, property developers willing to use violence to intimidate the owner, and the well-meaning but ineffectual efforts of middle class intellectuals to help.  With its lengthy passages of spoken dialogue, it feels more of a musical than an opera, but maybe, these days, an opera should be defined as a musical where the cast don’t have recourse to microphones.  Blitzstein seems to be one of those people whose contribution to music theatre’s overall development was more important than his own compositions.   

No For An Answer has the courage not to be a feel-good musical, as it rubs at the sore place where the privileged want to use their privilege to help those who don’t have it, but end up making a mess of it.  It celebrates collective action, but shows that this is not enough to save the club against vested interests.  The result is a muted and mixed message that does not make for effective theatre.  There are times – as when the workers discuss what is capitalism – when it is downright clunky and prompts unkind thoughts about “What would Sondheim do?”. 

It leaves me with the suspicion that effective political change is a mixture of vast and unremitting amounts of dogged and dull lobbying that all too often seems not to work, blatant opportunism combined with clever tactics and good luck, and painful compromise in order to achieve a limited gain – none of which are exactly conducive to a piece with pretentions to being entertaining musical theatre.  Those with a financial interest in maintaining poverty and exploitation are often vicious and unscrupulous in their opposition to efforts to bring it to an end, but, in an era that has brought forth Donald Trump, this tends to provoke weary resignation rather than the surprise and outrage that perhaps this piece is aiming for. 

The large cast, under Mehmet Ergen’s direction, are an ensemble of distinct individuals that works collaboratively together and impressively fills the whole theatre.  The hard work and conviction on the part of all involved is rather more inspirational than the work they are performing.  I’m really rather sad that I’m not able to like the piece more.

Patrick Shorrock, July 2023

Photography courtesy of Arcola Theatre