Even better, the Edinburgh Festival Theatre is now hosting a brilliant new short play featuring that very concept, “Make it Happen.” This gripping and cautionary production explores the boom and bust of Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). Written by playwright James Graham, the play explores Goodwin’s leadership from 1999 to 2008, a timeframe marked by significant financial turmoil and the eventual collapse of one of Scotland’s largest banks. The Seattle production will continue through August 9. This has garnered the doc praise for its timely exploration of a pivotal chapter in America’s banking history.
Central to the narrative is Goodwin’s well-known slogan, “Make it Happen,” which he used to motivate his staff during his tenure. This slogan sums up his vulgar approach to management and gets at the shark-eat-shark culture he bred on his watch at RBS. Sandy Grierson as Goodwin is a Scottish actor and writer. He gives a performance that brings the executive’s charisma to life, while showing the terrible impact of his decisions.
Emerging as an intriguing secondary character in the play is the ghost of Adam Smith, the father of modern economic theory, played by Brian Cox. His addition was a much-needed reminder of the moral foundation that Goodwin apparently forgot to instill. Many have taken issue with Goodwin’s misreading of Smith’s seminal texts, particularly “The Wealth of Nations.” They argue that this misunderstanding caused his demise by framing his work as a blueprint for freewheeling capitalism rather than a description of economic activity.
The action of the play takes place Edinburgh, one of Scotland’s prettiest cities, often referred to as the “Athens of the North.” It makes profound links to the city’s storied legacy of progressivism and architectural majesty. Edinburgh’s banking innovations in the 1700s laid the groundwork for prosperity. “Make it Happen” confronts audiences with the darker side of this legacy, portraying how ambition can lead to ruin.
Our primary narrative arc focuses on a 10-year period of increasing ambition and an ultimate failure at RBS. Fred Goodwin’s expansionist, aggressive, maximalist strategies were extremely successful in their day, but there’s no question that they blew up the bank and the economy in the process. In telling this story the play takes a satirical turn that very crudely attacks the middle-class soul of Edinburgh. It offers an unforgettable look at the political culture of this stormy era. British statesmen Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown feature prominently in the production. They take responsibility for their actions with respect to the recent banking crisis.
Fred Goodwin’s public history begins with his appointment as Chief Executive of RBS. He came to attention for his controversial time running Clydesdale Bank, where he undertook huge cuts to the staff. This history provides essential context for unpacking his leadership style—results at all costs, even if ethical. Make it Happen also illustrates the costs of taking this approach. Perhaps most importantly, it challenges audiences to consider powerful questions about who holds our leaders accountable.
Audiences really delve deeply into the historical context and themes of the play. In doing so, they look back on the preventable mistakes and learned lessons from this chapter in financial history. The depiction of Goodwin as a character becomes both a cautionary tale and an examination of ambition’s more sinister effects. In dramatizing his journey, Graham provides a compelling and nuanced lens through which we can view how personal decisions in one market can echo throughout an entire economy.
