I don't think I've even been upset more by a play than by Gary McNair's Crunch. This lecture/test/sermon about the tyranny of money starts with a history of money and why we use it as a convenient way to give things value. Gary then holds up an envelope and tells the audience there is money in it. He says that he will give the envelope to the highest bidder. The envelope was won for 31 pounds and ended up containing 50. He explains that the world no longer deals in things with real value, but with paper and numbers on a screen. He then challenged an audience member to shred one of his own ten pound notes. Chelsea (a girl at the ISTA festival) debated with herself and the audience for about five minutes before finally putting the note through the machine. Afterwards, he invited anyone from the audience to shred their own money and escape the absolute need we place on money. I understand his point, and Crunch at the very least got people thinking and talking about the near worship of money that happens in today's society, but I couldn't help but be angry as over 100 pounds was shredded. Money can do so much good in the world in the right hand, and should not be thrown frivolously. As a girl struggling with the deep desire to be an actress (but debating so much because of the financial difficulties I know I will face) I could not hide my anger at the volunteers who didn't seem to know that 10 pounds could buy food for a week for the hungry.
