Money makes the world go round…or does it?

Making a name for themselves with their innovative immersive and participatory performances, Belgium-based theatre company Ontroerend Goed arrives in Singapore to present a game-like theatrical experience – £¥€$ (LIES). As its title suggests, £¥€$ (LIES) is all about money, where audience members become members of the super rich in control of the global economy, where the world of high finance is all one big game.

Entering the arena of £¥€$ (LIES), we are assigned a table by the pit boss of this den, before meeting our croupier, who selects a seat at the table for us. It feels as if we’re already being judged from the moment we enter, assessed on our suitability and skill, and our choices are made before we have a chance to. While we’re told we’re starting a bank, the way each table is set up feels like we were seated in a casino, a symbol of risk and loss.

We begin by getting to know the other people in our ‘team’. Comprising a myriad of participants, the game starts off with an air of suspicion, as we try to suss out the other members at our table, while also wanting to establish ourselves as gamblers willing to take a risk and prove ourselves in this nation. What Ontroerend Goed does so well is ensure careful pacing, where we all eventually feel like we can trust and be comfortable with each other. From there, the game moves quickly, as we made unified choices as a team, and found ourselves mostly in agreement, rather than having any member rock the boat and argue.

What is also exciting is how we get to watch the effects of these decisions play out in real time. At the beginning, we become fully immersed in the ongoings of the team, making big decisions and accumulating wealth with our decisions. it is only partway through that we become aware of a leaderboard in the middle of the room keeping us abreast of what was going on around the room, with the progress of each ‘nation’ charted and updated. By becoming aware of how our little group belongs to a greater system we too can manipulate and impact, we developed a strong element of competition, and we would listen out for the “boss” giving live updates on what was happening around the ‘world’, wanting to raise our standing and further complicating the mechanics of the game.

Information was well-explained and elaborated on, and we always went into decisions with clear knowledge of what was going on, understanding the risks involved. Yet, as its name also suggests, £¥€$ (LIES) comes with a degree of falsehood, as we’re fed speculated news, and it becomes up to us to make the decision to trust or distrust what we hear. It feels like every decision is a roll of the dice, and only at the end of the game did we realise – could we have asked more questions and challenged the system? As friendly as our croupier was, seemingly on our side with his warm demeanour, there came a point where we began to doubt if he truly was our ally.

No highs last forever, and eventually, we become aware of how much impact all our decisions and gambles have, not just on us, but on the other nations around us, sometimes causing a domino effect. We are sometimes so caught up in our own affairs that we forget everything forms part of a greater intricate system, as we hear the shouts of victory and moans and groans of loss. Forced to make an executive decision over who to save, we realised how little we knew of each other to make a decision like that, and we are left to wonder if it was the ‘best’ choice, and how much value we placed on other people.

In all, £¥€$ (LIES) is an incredibly smart game, where complete strangers come together, feeling the adrenaline rush to earn, to survive, and to ‘win’. Brilliant and intriguing, we felt completely invested in the show and every decision made, and by its end, we left feeling rejuvenated and amazed by the mechanics of such a theatre show that we all contributed to. More than that, we also think of the shady world of finance, where all these staff members, croupiers, pit bosses and Playmaster, are all dressed the same, giving the semblance of a greater power lording over us.

Ontroerend Goed are clearly masters at the art of immersion, with the performers well-rehearsed to the point they move like clockwork, clear in their explanations and managing each group of players so well. Their ability to keep the momentum going ensures that there are no dull moments, constantly spurred to keep the momentum going, make more decisions and talk to each other. It’s no wonder this show has been touring for so long – whether celebrating wins or bemoaning losses, we were constantly kept on our feet with everything feeling so real.

That, in essence, is what good theatre does – to bring all these people from varying background together, and for those two hours, feel united in having gone through a common experience together. Yet while we know it’s all a show, the questioning of ethics, morality and people all around us certainly was, as we gained insight into the complexities and manipulation going on in the world of finance, and realising how regardless of who we are, we belong to a community, where every decision can extend its reach beyond the self to everyone around us.

Featured Image Credit: Tom Verbruggen

£¥€$ (LIES) played from 23rd to 28th May 2023 at the SOTA Studio Theatre, as part of the 2023 Singapore International Festival of Arts. More details available here

The 2023 Singapore International Festival of Arts runs from 19th May to 4th June 2023. Tickets and full details of programme available here

Production Credits:

Performers: Britt Maria BAKKER Christopher James Stafford HUTCHINGS Ekaterina SHIBAEVA Leonore Tessel Maria SPEE Marieke Wim I. ANTHONI Max WIND Nora Céline RAMAKERS Samir Rafaël VEEN

Technicians: Lucas Julienne F. VAN DE VOORDE         Sarah Maria F. FEYEN