Under a thematic umbrella of ‘performance’, in this book Breed explores the relationship between cultural, theatrical, and judicial activities in order to illustrate how these largely reflect the Rwandan Patriotic Front's (RPF) narrative concerning a unified Rwanda in a post-genocidal context; this narrative largely suggests that Tutsi, Hutu and Twa are now ‘one’. By examining how the theme of unification permeates many aspects of reconciliation and justice processes, Breed advances current understandings concerning how the government, led by President Paul Kagame, has disseminated these messages via a variety of artistic mechanisms. Breed illustrates how theatrical performances concerning reconciliation reflect an RPF agenda to eradicate ethnic difference whilst also demonstrating that these narratives largely reflect the experiences of the Tutsi ethnic group which holds substantial political power within Rwanda. The in-depth descriptions of theatrical performances concerning conflict and reconciliation are particularly insightful and make an important contribution to contemporary literature on Rwanda.

Whilst Breed provides insight on linkages between past cultural, performative practices and ways that contemporary practices largely reflect an RPF governmental agenda, she does not present substantial detail concerning the counter-narratives that lie beneath the acceptable, political narratives that pervade these public performances. In one example, Breed provides rich detail regarding a rehearsal process concerning a theatrical production that explored reconciliation and suggested that when the script called for songs from the Hutu-led republic (the republic that was in power prior to the genocide) participants looked ‘… around to see if anyone was listening or if the authorities would reprimand’ (p. 58). Breed suggests that the play rehearsals ‘… allowed an outlet for the expression of their former ethnic identities’ (p. 58) though we are not given great detail as to what these identities look like in contemporary Rwanda. This is indeed a weakness of the book; Breed nicely illustrates ways that RPF governmental narratives have pervaded cultural practices as well as local community court (gacaca) ‘performances’, yet little evidence is put forth to show what counter narratives concerning a contemporary Hutu identity might look like. If contemporary Rwandan identity largely mirrors Tutsi notions of Rwandan identity, then what would a post-genocide Hutu identity look like? This question is left largely unanswered.

Breed is convincing in demonstrating concrete linkages between theatrical productions depicting gacaca proceedings and the impact that these productions had on actual gacaca proceedings; she suggests that the productions influenced the level of confessions in areas where productions were prevalent. Breed presents particularly interesting empirical evidence on this issue, and this is a critical strength of the book. Breed's descriptions concerning theatrical productions that attempt to deal with issues of reconciliation in a post-genocide nation provide critical insight into the confluence of contemporary performance-based practices and the tangible impact these have on reconciliation in Rwanda. The exploration of commemorative performances also sheds interesting light concerning the objectives of the annual commemorative period in Rwanda. Overall, more detail is needed concerning counter-narratives, however, Breed nicely uses a performative lens to demonstrate that the government is advancing a ‘one-Rwanda’ agenda. Breed raises important questions regarding both the intent and results of these practices.