Mark Thomas: 100 Acts of Minor Dissent

Mark Thomas works for the forces of good. Few people can consider the activist-comedian’s political work over the last 20 years to be anything but right, just and in some cases downright heroic. This year, Thomas has created a project that is a little different, aiming to perform the titular 100 acts of minor dissent before May 2014 (the results to be collated into an exhibition) or donate £1000 of his own cash to UKIP. Needless to say, that’s something he’s loath to do, and it’s got him up to his old tricks again. 

Thomas seethes and rages against a whole range of irritants he sees in everyday life, from newsagent pornography to redundant stickers on books, and Thomas is at his best when he’s railing against the hypocrisy of modern life and attempting to strike a blow for the common man. As a result, the audience seems more worked up when the goal is more easily understood – getting narked at the mess made of Clapham Common by local cottagers is one thing, but his story about staging a protest against Apple’s non-payment of UK tax fires up the crowd to levels of near hysteria. There’s no doubt Thomas helps to create in his shows something he mourns the loss of – a community, with shared ideals, goals and a sense of common justice.

And yet this feels like the tip of the iceberg – a manifesto for action that we haven’t fully seen yet. With only 25% or so of the “acts” carried out so far, he eagerly encourages everyone to take part, and while this show is regularly hilarious it comes across as a genuine work in progress. Go – get involved, and be entertained in the process.