In a plot so bizarre and harebrained that you’ll struggle to believe it’s based on a true story, The Mosinee Project weaves a fascinating tale of America’s red scare hysteria and McCarthyism manifest. How do you teach people about the evils of the red menace, lurking in every crevice, in a way which affects them directly, which they cannot ignore? You stage a Communist invasion in a small midwestern town called Mosinee, of course! With an infectious fifties charm and wit, The Mosinee Project explores the bounds of political hysteria, performance and the lack of understanding which comes from paranoia.
You’re transported back in time to Joseph McCarthy’s America; a time of political purges, drawn out espionage trials, imaginary fifth columns and looming war in Korea – an America gripped by a schizophrenic fear of the reds. We find Joseph Kornfeder, an elusive former communist turned strident anti-communist who wants to demonstrate to the American public how complacent they have become, and just how susceptible they are to communist subversion; the townspeople of Mosinee are found as useful guinea pigs. What follows is an absurd series of events which is handled with precise storytelling, slick stagecraft and haunting camerawork.
The seriousness of the characters’ demeanour juxtaposed with the strangeness of the plot is played for some darkly humourous jokes, and the actors do an excellent job of maintaining this dichotomy as well as creating a real sense of intrigue throughout. However, because of the complexities of the plot, the characters end up feeling less like fully realised people and more like presenters – on top of the narration that’s also spattered throughout. As a result, when the emotional core of the play is revealed, it’s difficult to care all that much for. It doesn’t take too much away, however, from a gripping tale of weaponised political fear and espionage.
The Mosinee Project, 15.20, Underbelly, until August 25
