Like Audience two years ago, Fight Night is a highly experimental piece that is likely to divide public reaction.
It could reasonably be viewed from three different standpoints. Those that see it as a simple staged version of a reality TV concept will have fun. They get little voting pads and there is even a possibility that the outcomes are accurately reflected every time that bearded ringmaster Angelo holds an “election”.
Visitors who have followed the work of Ontroerend Goed from year to year will see an exercised in bare-faced audience manipulation, opinions being subtly steered towards desired outcomes and may find the whole event a little tedious and predictable.
Finally, by mixing the first two elements, you should get to what is probably the point. That is the chance to consider the nature of elections, propaganda and voting in today’s media-obsessed society.
As you watch five participants slowly whittled down to the last man / woman standing, there is a chance to consider how we treat each other but also the ways in which coalition and collaboration can still be powerful tools, even in a manipulative society.
The problem on this occasion is that the fighting can seem all too bloodless, even though some valuable points are eventually teased out.