A PHRASE from an American strategist that has become a truism of political campaigning, It’s the economy, stupid!, provides the title for a new play by Worklight Theatre, coming to Dorset on a short tour with Artsreach, on Friday 10th October at Buckland Newton village hall, Saturday 11th at Briantspuddle, both at 7.30pm, and Sunday 12th at Burton Bradstock at 7pm.

Based on a true story of a family caught up in the 90s recession, It’s the Economy, Stupid! reveals the heart, humour and humanity behind economics. Using paper bags, an old board game and a pinch of magic, Joe Sellman-Leava and Dylan Howells calculate how their lives were shaped by the economies they grew up in, uncover how economics wins elections, and ask why the force that dominates people’s lives is so bloody complicated!

It’s the Economy, Stupid! has been praised for making economics accessible and entertaining, while connecting a deeply personal story to the financial realities we all face today: including the housing and cost of living crises. It’s the Economy, Stupid! combines slick staging, innovative projection-mapping and magical storytelling, to reveal the true cost of low financial literacy in a money-dominated world.

The phrase was made famous by James Carville, a political strategist for Bill Clinton, during the 1992 US presidential campaign. The play has been developed with and directed by Katharina Reinthaller, and produced by Worklight Theatre. Last year the show premiered with a sold-out, critically acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe, before embarking on a national tour.