An all-singing, all-dancing romp through 2,5oo years of philosophical history taking off from a brilliant but dull book by John Rawls, written and performed by Oxford University students didn't sound promising, and I had originally planned to leave at half time. But, I have to report, A Theory of Justice: The Musical is brilliant: hilarious, witty, and profound - well-plotted too, with acute philosophical asides. I cried with laughter for most of two hours. I don't want to give too much away, as, although the last official performance is tonight (and definitely sold out), it's bound to have an afterlife (perhaps as a film, perhaps at Edinburgh)...but, briefly, it follows the adventures of a young John Rawls down the rabbit hole of a time warp seeking Fairnessa (a woman), pursued by the evil libertarians Robert Nozick and Ayn Rand, and encountering various philosophers from Socrates to Sidgwick, not to mention a randy Rousseau and a cross-dressing fairy godmother/Immaneul Kant en route...



Immanuel Kant inspires John Rawls

Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick



A Utilitarian Barbershop Quartet



Fairness as Justice!



Together at last: Rawls and Fairness

(all photos copyright Giacom Sain)