Theater won't stage controversial drama

[Scurrilous]

A South Florida theater dropped a controversial play about an American activist killed in the Gaza Strip.

<snip>

"My Name Is Rachel Corrie, the controversial play about a young American activist who died after she was run over by an Israeli-operated bulldozer in the Gaza Strip, has been pulled from the lineup at Plantation's Mosaic Theatre after protests from some of the theater's subscribers and outside individuals.

Mosaic, a professional company that presents its shows in a black-box theater space at the private American Heritage School, had planned to offer the one-woman Rachel Corrie in repertory with Heather Raffo's 9 Parts of Desire, a solo show about Iraqi women.

But Mosaic's board of directors agreed to drop the play after phone calls, e-mails and comments on a special Rachel Corrie blog -- which has now been removed from the company's website -- made it clear that an impassioned, vocal minority strongly objected to the play. There have been no such complaints about Raffo's play, which actress Pilar Uribe will perform April 18 through May 13.

Artistic director Richard Jay Simon, who declined a request for comment, wrote in a release Monday announcing the cancellation, "Exploring critical issues to inspire healthy dialogue is and always will continue to be our mission at Mosaic Theatre. I believe strongly in the piece and, while I respect the board's decision, I am obviously disappointed."

A more telling sentence in the release notes that "numerous conflicts have arisen, and the associated risks appear too great for our community and our angel sponsor, American Heritage School."

http://www.miamiherald.com/277/story/61685.html

[no_hypocrisy]

1. The whole idea of theater is controversy, the universality of ideas

offered for discussion, debate, and criticism. It's supposed to bring people together as a community.

What a shame that threats defeated the performances. I heard the same thing happened in Seattle.

[msmcghee]

2. I saw the play last Tuesday evening in Seattle.

Here's my review if you're interested.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=170832&mesg_id=171853

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Thanks for posting that review...

That's probably one of the more valuable things I've seen about the play posted at DU, and I agree with you that it's a mistake to object to its showing....

[msmcghee]

5. Thanks VC n/t

[msmcghee]

4. But don't you think that plays dealing with . .

. . current political themes seldom qualify as good art. It seems to me that good art deals with more basic human qualities and reactions - outside or transcending the context of the events that cause them.

It seems to me that when people from many different backgrounds can experience a common universal reaction - that's what creates community and brings people together. And there are plenty of those possibilities to examine in this or any war. There have been many anti-war plays and movies and novels that do that. This was not one of them.

Actually, there was one point in the play when Rachel was talking about her experience of having Egyptian soldiers near the Rafah border yell out to her and ask her name - in the way that boys in a school bus coming for a game from another school might flirt with the local girls. It was curiosity and playfulness and Rachel commented on how strange it all seemed - but also how we are all really kids when it comes down to it. I liked that part and should have included it in my review.

I'm not saying that plays like this don't serve some good purpose - and it did have its good moments like that - but she had identified with the Palestinian cause against their enemy. That's what the play was mostly about. She was mostly speaking to her diary and through letters to her parents about why that was such a strong identity-belief for her.

I don't remember any time during the play when she expressed a sincere sympathy for the Israelis who die at the hands of bombers for example. She did write her mother telling her not to mention suicide bombers when the local newspaper reporter in her home town came for an interview. These things are very important not to mention - she said.

In any case - I did not see this as a play designed to bring people together. If Rachel did see some universal revulsion at senseless war - transcending her need to identify with one side against the other - then the writers did a poor job of finding that in her writings and putting it into the play. But, could someone who has put themselves in a very dangerous situation in order to confront one side in the conflict and prevent them from doing what they felt was necessary for their defense - be expected to also carry an anti-war candle - say in the spirit of Joseph Heller?

For that reason, this play seemed more written for the "brave girl fights evil" genre.

[pelsar]

6. perhaps in contrast is the israeli movie Beaufort

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16988742.htm

(actually one of many movies that comes out of israel showing the human side of the conflict and its complexities)


It won the Silver Bear award as best director at the 57th International Film Festival 'Berlinale' in Berlin on February 17, 2007

http://www.bufor.co.il/

one of the actors and the director were both in lebanon as soldiers, the conversations between the soliders struck me as "very familiar")

there are several mentions of the "4 mothers movement" in the film and an explanation within the site.....a real tribute to israeli democracy.

and most important of all....it shows how vunerable soliders are in an outpost today who simple "stay and guard" (i.e. israels border with lebanon today) when those who do want to attack can do so at will using modern weapons, without exposing themselves at all.

[msmcghee]

7. I sent Netflix an e-mail . .

. . asking them to get it as soon as it's available on DVD. Thanks!

Do you have a few more recommendations along that line?

BTW - Somebody here recommended the film "Focus". Thanks. I watched that last week. Never saw it before. It was quite disturbing and surreal at the same time. I need to see it again as I'm sure I missed some of it.

[pelsar]

8. the first movie about lebanon

Shtei Etzbaot Mi'Tzidon (two fingers from sidon-its represents the distance from the platoon to the lebanese city of sidon).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091950/

http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=121084


here the view is from the soldiers view point and some of the moral dilemas that they face with impossible decisions (the kind most people avoid at all costs). As always in israeli films it shows the complexity of decisions, the human and cruel side to right as well as wrong decisions made.

[Shaktimaan]

9. My girlfriend's been talking about this film lately.

She just returned from a short stay in Israel and saw it. We're going once it gets to NYC. I'm anxious to see it.