tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12657288.post114166258050678667..comments2024-01-07T06:59:04.212-05:00Comments on The Playgoer: NYT breaks silencePlaygoerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02994724588504353485noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12657288.post-1141676383382334322006-03-06T15:19:00.000-05:002006-03-06T15:19:00.000-05:00Isaac,Indeed Exonerated is probably not the best e...Isaac,<BR/><BR/>Indeed Exonerated is probably not the best example since its argument was far less controversial. It just came quickly to mind as a piece of political documentary theatre I happened to "agree" with politically...but also thought was lame. No one (GITMO aside)is in favor of executing innocent people, but that wasn't the only issue at stake in the show. There was also an implied critique of capital punishment itself, and while I'm with them there, many in the country at large would indeed say there are "two sides."<BR/>In brief, I felt Exonerated was lamely one-sided more perhaps in production than in text. The staging of the two "guards," if you remember, flanking the actors stage right and left were rendered as cartoon rednecks. Literally, "marginalized" from the story. A more complex exploration of the issue would let us into the minds of those who enforce and justify the death penalty, too, and let us see them as human beings motivated by logic backed up by legal precedent.<BR/>Of course, my larger point--pace Rothstein--was to remind us all that plenty of good "political theatre" (like political films a la "JFK") is guilty of all the same "selective" use of history being leveled against "Rachel Corrie".Playgoerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02994724588504353485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12657288.post-1141672313402269912006-03-06T14:11:00.000-05:002006-03-06T14:11:00.000-05:00The most interesting thing about Edward Rothstein'...The most interesting thing about Edward Rothstein's column is what it omits:<BR/><BR/>There are no actual examples of the "outrage in the theatrical community" that he alludes to; none of the third-party arguments opposing NYTW's cancellation are discussed or even cited; James Nicola's justifications for the cancellation go unexamined; and the most relevant recent precedent--MTC's cancellation of CORPUS CHRISTI--goes entirely undiscussed.<BR/><BR/>I understand that the Connections column is set up as a "critic's perspective." But given that this article represents the first Times reference to this "controversy", you'd think it might make sense to point out who the players are, what they've said, and what the relevant history is.Contrapositivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08645775885446988732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12657288.post-1141667556373036592006-03-06T12:52:00.000-05:002006-03-06T12:52:00.000-05:00I don't know if the Exonerated is really what you ...I don't know if the Exonerated is really what you say it is, Garrett. Amongst other things, I think you'll have trouble finding people to defend the other side-- that it's a good thing that people are wrongfully sentenced to die.<BR/><BR/>Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank didn't conceive of it as an anti-death-penalty show. They wanted to tell the stories of a group of people our justice system would wish would just go away.<BR/><BR/>How is this lame or reductionist?<BR/><BR/>Keep up the good work!<BR/>Isaacparabasishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12476856869466695694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12657288.post-1141666762414564352006-03-06T12:39:00.000-05:002006-03-06T12:39:00.000-05:00I sent this to Mr. Rothstein this morning:Dear Mr....I sent this to Mr. Rothstein this morning:<BR/><BR/>Dear Mr. Rothstein,<BR/><BR/>Your thorough article about the NYTW's so-called postponement of "My Name is Rachel Corrie" brings up several important points about both the postponement and the play itself. It is good to see some analysis on this by somebody in the US theatrical community who actually read the script!<BR/><BR/>I'd like to make a few points about your article, though. <BR/><BR/>Regarding smuggling tunnels, the Israeli Defense Force investigation of the death of Rachel Corrie found no evidence of the existence of any so-called smuggling tunnels anywhere near the house Corrie failed to protect. The large numbers of structures destroyed over the years by the IDF and by Israeli settlers, compared to the very small number of tunnels found, suggests instead patterns of free fire zone creation, and elimination of Palestinian access to water sources then commandeered by the settlers. I suggest you educate yourself from unbiased sources regarding the effectiveness and real intent of Israeli structural demolition, cropland destruction and water source control in Gaza and the West Bank.<BR/><BR/>Regarding what you term "an apparent effort to camouflage Corrie's radicalism and broaden the play's appeal" and your use of that structural convention to question the seriousness of the play, I can only try to imagine a play about Abraham Lincoln which centers on his well-documented views on the inferiority of African-Americans, or upon his plans to have African-Americans shipped out of the country after the conclusion of the Civil War. I can only imagine, because I know of no such play.<BR/><BR/>Philip Munger<BR/>composer of "The Skies are Weeping"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12657288.post-1141665989331989492006-03-06T12:26:00.000-05:002006-03-06T12:26:00.000-05:00Vanessa Redgrave in Counterpunch: http://www.count...Vanessa Redgrave in Counterpunch: http://www.counterpunch.org/redgrave03062006.html<BR/><BR/>Walter A. Davis in Counterpunch: http://www.counterpunch.org/davis03062006.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com