... when they talk about wanting more political theater.
Tboy still hasn't seen Stuff Happens himself, of course. But he does remember vividly what Arthur Laurents told him he thought about it:
"A paste job ... not a play."
Now this, Tboy points out, was coming from a man who was busy reworking Hallelujah, Baby!
On the other hand, Laurents was a blacklist victim, and he knows his political theater.
On the other other hand, Racing Demon and Plenty are two of Tboy's very favorite plays. And Via Dolorosa (which got staged right here in DC, as Tboy recalls, not at all long after its London premiere, so how provincial can we be, really?) was nothing to sneeze at.
It does make a Tboy curious to see what Mr. Hare has done with the Rummy monologues.
Thanks for the link Tboy.
After the reading of his play STUFF HAPPENS earlier this month, David Hare said that he has been actively trying to get it produced in D.C., but has been unsuccessful. Every theatre has turned it down, claiming that its "last season's play" and therefore not worth producing. He suspects that they are just reluctant to produce a work that shines such a bright light on the current administration.
So I suppose you won't be able to see it till 2009.
STUFF HAPPENS is as much "a paste job" as WEST SIDE STORY is just a rehash of Romeo & Juliet.
Posted by: Rocco | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 11:19
It's pretty incendiary. There was a free reading here in NY a few weeks ago. Kind of a shame that some of the "bold" and "daring" theatres seem to be reluctant in doing it.
Another question is why did a piece like this not exist until someone from OVERSEAS wrote it?
Makes you think.
Posted by: Blactor | Friday, 29 September 2006 at 03:31