Now You See It, Now You Don’t – Unfinished Histories

Company Name: Broadside Mobile Workers’ Theatre
Devised: Broadside Mobile Workers’ Theatre
Director: Kathleen McCreery, Richard Stourac
Designer: Patricia De Villiers
Sound: Andy Hudson
Cast: Kathleen McCreery, Harold Wilson, Richard Stourac, Lorna Edwards, Andy Hudson
Year: 1976

‘An entertaining show about unemployment, rising prices, and the social contract. Circus, satire and songs have made it popular with cuts campaigns and Labour Parties as well as trade unionists. Desmond Dough symbolizes British capital in crisis. Uncle Harold tries to prop him up with wage controls, tax concessions and government grants. Dough gratefully accepts the cash but far from expanding he invests in abroad and buys a labor-saving machine. One of his workers is bought off with a fat redundancy payment; the other finds himself working overtime on the new machine. The National Debt looms menacingly over Harold and his sunny successor, they’re forced to dance to the tune of the I’F. The Welfare State is torn apart before your very eyes, but the workers grow tired of tightening their belts and call a halt to Dough’s machinations’ Transcribed from: Broadside, 1978 show listings and description.
2 versions: 1 short; 35 mins, indoors or out. 1 longer: 1 hour, indoors only. Space required; 20′ wide, 20′ deep, 12′ high.
(Broadside, 1978 show listings and description)

Broadside brochure, fron page. Features a photograph from the play *Now You See It, Now You Don’t*. (r-l) Lorna Edwards, Richard Stourac, Kathleen McCreery.

Joint Trade union Bulletin Chloride Strike/Occupation [Sit-In] Issue No. 1, Official Bulletin of the Joint Shop Stewards Committee – *Now You See It, Now You Don’t’*. Broadside Mobile Worker’s Theatre. (l-r) Ian Saville on the portable stage designed with the help of Lucas Aerospace Workers, Richard Stourac, standing in front of van.

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