Friday 23 September 2011

Mark Thomas: The Night War Broke Out (2004)


The Night War Broke Out was recorded live in Edinburgh on the evening the US and UK military started the invasion of Iraq, with the bombing of Saddam Hussein's palace. The day was full of rumours that Saddam Hussein's deputy Tariq Aziz had been captured (untrue) and that the invasion had started (true). Lunchtime that day saw a massive turnout of anti-war protestors taking part in civil disobedience by blocking the main streets of the city. Over 4,000 people defied the police in sit-down protests and school children attempted to storm the Scottish Parliament.

"A foul-mouthed but seriously thought-provoking look at the world at the time of the start of the second Gulf War. Mark Thomas provides an extremely funny narrative that celebrates the right to protest against authority interspersed with frightening statistics of Governmental excesses. If this does not prick at your conscience and urge you to join the movement at some level you must be George W Bush."
Phil, United Kingdom, November 2007

4 comments:

theblimp said...

Audio

Chir0n said...

Ah, the wonderful Mark Thomas. Is he the British Michael Moore or the comedy Noam Chomsky? (One of these comparisons is a compliment.) Both Of these are labels that have been thrown at him and they don't really work because Thomas is inimitable. He doesn't take the (unfunny) "let's fight propaganda with propaganda" route of Michael Moore or the dry, though sometimes beautifully sarcastic, analytical approach of Chomsky. Instead, Thomas carefully and effectively lays out narratives that make you weep and laugh at the horror. This is brilliant. Cheers AA.

chemical_oli said...

I can remember going to see Mark's standup show around the time of this recording, thanks for sharing!!

You guys deserve knighthood/buddhahood or for that matter any other type of hood denigrating the saintly nature of your work putting this information on the internet.

Big thanks and the utmost respect for your efforts from Birmingham, keep it up! :)

theblimp said...

chemical_oli, good name mate.

Fuck the knighthood, your thanks are worth more than that.

~blimp