London's West End is hosting a production that offers a rare commodity: optimism. "The Standard of Living," currently playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, centers on the early 20th-century economist John Maynard Keynes.
Rory Kinnear portrays Keynes with a blend of "rueful gusto and comic frustration," humanizing the economist and exploring his philosophical question: What constitutes a good life? For Keynes, this was central to economics, viewing the market as an expression of human desires. He famously stated, "In the long run, we are all dead," advocating for spending during one's lifetime, with the notion that "Money in savings is asleep, money spent is alive."
Despite the potentially dry subject matter, the play, written by James Graham, is described as a "fascinating, fun-filled and even frolicsome evening." Kinnear's performance imbues Keynes with a "nervy air of uncertainty." The play situates Keynes within his intellectual circle, the Bloomsbury Group, which included writers Virginia Woolf and Lytton Strachey, depicted by Naomi Frederick and Pip Carter, respectively. His economic counterpoint is Friedrich Hayek, played by Laurie Kynaston, a proponent of free markets.
Graham's portrayal of Keynes is largely positive, highlighting his defiance of established norms and touching upon his personal life. The narrative shifts when Keynes falls for the Russian dancer Lydia Lopokova, portrayed by Natalia Osipova. In the absence of personal chaos, the play becomes "blatantly didactic," even advocating for arts funding.
Director Nicholas Hytner guides the production as a "lively pageant," incorporating projections of contemporary art and historical news footage. While audiences may not agree with Keynes's economic theories or his ultimate success in resolving global issues, the play aims to spark conversation.