The Brexit Ballet Nears it’s Final Act – Or Does It?
I see myself as Hungarian first and European second, so I sympathize with the people of the UK but their decision to leave the EU was still a shock. We Hungarians have always appreciated the UK as a strong balancing voice in the EU and that’s something we are sure to miss.
This music video was uploaded to Youtube last year and gained almost 900,000 views. More than half of the views came from English-speaking countries, with most of the rest from European Union countries. Based on viewer comments and email feedback, Europeans pay particular attention to the possible causes and effects of Brexit – areas which are still shrouded in uncertainty this week as British politicians decide whether to back PM Theresa May’s last-minute deal, opt for a chaotic ‘no-deal’, or call a second public referendum.
I feel the near-one-million views and countless comments have vindicated the video project and I hope it will continue to draw attention to the importance of international political awareness as the world enters an ever more turbulent period of change.
Since the 2016 vote, the UK has lost its position as an EU growth-leader to become one of the slowest-developing EU countries. A combination of political exhaustion and business uncertainty over Brexit continue to weigh heavily on the economy, with many major employers already implementing plans to move part of their operations out of the country, or putting production and plans on hold until the future becomes clearer.
While Boris Johnson, a likely contender for UK leader, remains bullish about Brexit, the former Conservative prime minister, Sir John Major, has called the United Kingdom's exit from the EU a “historic mistake”. One thing that both agree on: The need to abort Theresa May’s deal, seen as ‘the worst of both worlds’, as it ties the UK to EU rules while ruling the UK out of EU decision-making.
The British House of Commons, following an intensive period of debate, will vote on 11th December whether to go ahead with Theresa May’s deal, or to seek a new public referendum. As things stand, there is insufficient support within the house for May’s deal and with a weak parliamentary majority, a failure for May could even force a new General Election.
While the more ardent Brexiters would appear to relish a ‘clean break’ no-deal, it is generally accepted that this would prompt a repeat public referendum – this time, with three options on the ballot: Theresa May’s EU deal, No-deal, and No-Brexit.
The song is inspired by the English ballad tradition, with the lyrics identifying themes that Europeans associate with Britain: A misty island, at once nearby and distant; a proud seafaring nation with a long history; and a complex destiny intertwined with that of Europe. Out of respect, I sing the lyrics in English.
The choreography is arranged by Zsuzsa Laczó of the Csokonai Theater in Debrecen, with dancer Kitti Gall playing Britannia on a bare stage. The narrative evokes a combination of admiration, beauty, trauma, and sorrow.
With our eyes on Britain now, it creates an opportunity for self-reflection and wider reflection, too: Where we come from, where we are now and where we are heading to politically, physically and spiritually. These are significant questions we should contemplate and we should act if we don’t like the picture.
For the video please click on the link below:
