Usher Nonsense #35 – Embedded
EMBEDDED Written and directed by Tim Robbins Robbins
Sets - Richard Hoover, Costumes – Yasuko Takahara, Lights - Adam H.
Greene, Sound - David Robbins and Masks - Erhard Stiefel.
With THE ACTORS GANG: Ben Cain, Brian T. Finney, V.J. Foster, Kaili
Hollister, Mark Lewis, Riki Lindhome, Jay R. Martinez, Kate Mulligan, Steven
M.
Porter, Brian Powell, Toni Torres, Lolly Ward and Andrew Wheeler.
Well Hooray for Tim Robbins. Hooray. More or less. More more than less.
In the space of less than a year (the US invaded Iraq inMarch 19, 2003) Time Robbins
wrote, cast, directed and produced a play (Novembe premier in L.A. by the Actors
Gang) about the the "Military Action" in Iraq. How it was invented and bestowed upon
us by the Bush Administration. How the idea of embedded media people is hypocifal.
How men and women go to war because they are honoring a commitment, but when
they get to the war there is no reciprocal commitment from their Supreme Commander
(and team) waiting for them.
The media who wanted to tell the truth of not only what happened when the missile
was fired but what happened when it landed - were told (see the program insert) that
every script had to be approved. If they tried to re-edit a piece, the computer would
flag their changes. So the ones who told the truth were not embedded and, therefore,
most likely not American. They were French and German, for instance...
So Americans in general don't know about the man who had to dig a grave for his three
relatives in an over-crowded and putrid cemetery. He didn't need much room because
their remains fit into one plastic bag, which was all he had. We didn't learn about the
kindness shown to Jessica Lynch by her doctors until the Brits told us. We still don't
know how many Iraqies make up the collateral damage.
Etc., etc, etc.
For me, personally, however, this production was not left-wing enough. I thought
Robbins would be braver. I thought I would see something that took my breath away.
That's what I wanted. I wanted to feel the roof lift off the building. I didn't. This is
more of a recital piece than a story, and I missed having characters to follow on their
paths. I once saw a play about Vietnam in which one character talked about killing for
the first time. He had arrived as an innocent and was transformed into a killer as spoke
and as we watched. When he was finished speaking all you could hear was people
crying in the audience. I have never forgotten that.
I did, however, hear a lot of people in the discussion afterwards say that they were
relieved to finally see something that corroborates what they have been feeling. Seeing
this production made them feel less alone and more trusting of their own instincts.
Good point. What else out there is addressing these issues? Hmmmmnnnn???
I can only hope that Robbins gets this puppy touring and fast. If people feel lost in
New York, there's a bunch more out there beyond the Hudson who are victims of the
famine created by the Bush administration and supported by the media. Send
"Embedded" to the Heartland, to the swing states, and to the DNC - pronto.
Go see this show. And may the next piece Tim Robbins writes blow the roof off.
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