In a tone of disdain, levity and humour, The RemCo explores the privileged and murky world of corporate pay, city politics and journalism. More story with comment, than commentary with plot, The RemCo takes us on safari through the ins and outs of whether charismatic CEO Michael Melman should receive an £8 million pay award. There’s always something salacious when eavesdropping through binoculars on the privileged, so distant from the world most of us inhabit that they are a rare, although ever more increasing frequent, sight stalking the international reserve of multi-million-pound salaries.
A RemCo, (remuneration committee), should you not know, and not knowing will not spoil your enjoyment of the play, is a supposedly neutral and unbiased committee set up to come to a fair conclusion on executives’ pay and bonuses.
The play’s central theme has of course the inflammatory quality of dusty brushwood and cleverly writer Jonathan Maitland has chosen not to set the tinder alight. Instead, he has chosen wisely to be more subtle through the entertaining, if scant, plotting, appealing characterisation and dry intelligent humour. Satire if you like. Subtle satire. This ensures the play’s greater likelihood of reaching those who are not part of the world of executive pay. Moreover, written in this style it holds attention, educates and offers thought provoking insights that might otherwise be missed or ignored.
Mind you Maitland’s Sunday Times article of July 24 2022 Why bother satirising politicians? They’re doing a brilliant job themselves – could easily apply to the executives in The RemCo. On a whim CEO Michael Melman has his wife’s dress flown out to New York at a cost of £20k which he charges to the company. The lack of self-awareness and empathy is on a par with the politicians du jour and is better satirised than written about head-on as many do anyway.
The play is well structured and subplots interweave neatly with each other and the story arc. In his research for this play Maitland had access to confidential minutes and although the play is fictional that access has undoubtedly contributed to the resonating reality in the detail which gives something of a true feel when listening. As the committee gets to work the implications of a seemingly simple task, coming to mutual agreement about Michael Melman’s pay and conditions, fall foul of subterfuge, overt and covert influence and the machinations of (dis)loyalty.
The neutrality of RemCos is criticised through the lifestyle and privilege committee members enjoy in what are often, on a casual listen, throwaway lines. A subtle example being the irk chairwoman, Judith Clapham feels if the overrunning meeting were to be reconvened next week -“Right I’m skiing next week so we will reconvene after that.”
Privilege and the sense of disconnect in the world executives inhabit is conveyed through subtle writing and delivery and yet the gentleness in the play makes it difficult for the listener to dislike the characters. Expounding on an article The Times wrote about him Melman says:
Melman: “Although they did make a rather annoying mistake.”
Clapham: “Oh yes?”
Melman: “Yeah, they said I had a holiday home in Poole when it’s actually Poole Harbour.”
Through clear writing the play captures well the world of direct and subtle influence, in particular that staple of executive influence, the ‘saying of nothing whilst implying of everything’.
Although improper, in her view, Judith is persuaded, against her better judgement, to meet with Michael Melman in what may have been a collusion between the two men. However, Melman finds Judith Clapham is not the naïve push over he might have been expecting.
Clapham: “Why have you got me here Michael?”
Melman: “Well, I thought it wouldn’t do any harm for us to meet. See if there’s anything you need. Any information or anything.”
Clapham: “I think we’re alright on that score but thank you for asking.”
Judith goes on to outfence Melman as he tries tactic after tatic to exercise influence over her and her committee.
Directing the zippy script, Emma Harding has got a quality performance of discipline, range and enjoyment from this star cast. Deborah Findlay is strong as the brusque, efficient powerful business woman, Judith Clapham who is chairing the RemCo. Stage and screen experienced Findlay, “possesses both a natural warmth and an emotional distance” (Ben Lawrence, in The Telegraph, 29 May 2018) which makes her perfectly cast as with ease her character inflects impatience with impeccable clarity, issues softly spoken stinging rebukes and exudes assuming, unquestionable privilege. Lucy Doyle, plays her daughter and potential Achilles heel or is that golden opportunity, business journalist Camilla. Sharp performances are put in by all cast and notable is the range of accents which enrich the play and allow easy character identification. John Humphreys plays a pompous version of himself as the newsreader – perhaps not a lot of acting required.
Production values are strong and the supporting sound effects enhance the listening experience. The restaurant scenes are particularly well done. Intermittent music is upbeat and pushes the play along with a sense of tension that matches the plot neatly.
The RemCo is an entertaining play in itself and makes important points about city remuneration, the fickleness and self-serving nature of leadership and is a narrow snapshot of the life of the privileged. It is well worth a listen for pure enjoyment and with a view to enjoying the satirising of an elite wedge of society.
The RemCo (first broadcast in 2018) remains on BBC Sounds for a short while and is certain to be repeated soon.
Radio Drama 