The Thatcher Effect is a phenomenon where it becomes more difficult to detect local feature changes in an upside-down face, despite identical changes being obvious in an upright face. The phenomenon is named after late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in whose face the effect was first studied  and whose divisive policies continue to shape various parts of the world in different but also parallel ways. 

Beyond Locality: The Thatcher Effect, is a powerful exploration of the effects of Thatcher’s neoliberal policies at the social level. The performance, created by Abdalla Daif and Lucy Ellinson, aims to highlight the global connectedness of these interventions in a human and relatable way through the experiences of a family in North Wales and a family in Northern Egypt. The two performers reformulate global incidents they were exposed to and which reshaped their understanding of themselves.

Credit:

Concept, Direction and Performing: Lucy Ellinson & Abdalla Daif,

Music: Shah

Production: Osama El Hawary. 

Lucy Ellinson is an actor and collaborative theater maker from North Wales. She teaches, mentors, and develops participatory performances, community projects, and campaigns. Her recent performances include DTTE (with residents of the Grenfell Estate, London); Typical Girls, based on the music of iconic all female punk band The Slits; Macbeth at the Manchester Royal Exchange, Top Girls at the National Theater, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at RSC. She is currently working on the digital theater project The Sun Sets Eight Times a Day, with Abdalla Daif.

This project was developed within the framework of New Conversations UK-Egypt, by Orient Productions & Farnham Maltings. Supported by The British Council Egypt, Arts Council England & Fonds de Soutiens aux Arts Arabes (FSAA)