In a collision of alt-rock angst and high theatre, the band Placebo is making its Royal Shakespeare Company debut, scoring a chilling production that uses a 1930s Chicago gangster tale to warn of rising fascism.

Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal have composed the music for "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui," starring Mark Gatiss as the titular mobster. Written by Bertolt Brecht in 1941, the play is a thinly veiled satire of Adolf Hitler’s ascent, recast in the cauliflower trade of Chicago. Placebo’s "muscular gothic rock" promises to provide the sonic backdrop to a story that feels terrifyingly relevant in 2026.

The Sound of Moral Decay

“We tried to connect with the psychology of the outsider,” the band stated. Their score is described by director Seán Linnen as "glitteringly expansive, darkly seductive and deeply theatrical." It is a bold artistic choice for the RSC, signaling a desire to bridge the gap between classical theatre and modern counter-culture.

Mark Gatiss, fresh from his success in *Sherlock*, takes on the role of Ui—a small-time crook with big-time ambitions who exploits fear and corruption to seize power. The parallels to modern populist movements are intentional and stark. "Thematically, this cautionary tale from history feels more urgent... than ever," the band noted.

• The Collaboration: Alt-rock legends Placebo meet the classical RSC.
• The Play: A satire on Hitler's rise, set in the Chicago underworld.
• The Lead: Mark Gatiss as the ruthless Arturo Ui.

Art as Warning

Why Placebo? Because their music has always explored alienation, drug-fueled highs, and crushing lows—the perfect soundtrack for a society losing its moral compass. As right-wing rhetoric rises globally, from Europe to the Americas, this production is not just entertainment; it is a scream of warning. The "Resistible" in the title is key: Brecht believed fascism could be stopped. Placebo is here to remind us, at full volume, of the cost of failure.