Usher Nonsense #44 – Sixteen Wounded
SIXTEEN WOUNDED by Eliam Kraiem, directed by Garry Hynes
With Judd Hirsch, Jan Maxwell (Bald Soprano), Omar Metwally, Martha
Plimpton, Waleed F. Zuaiter
Presented by Jujamcyn Theaters, Producers Four and Robert G. Bartnerin
association with Debra Black, Lisa Vioni and Michael Watt
Set/costumes - Francis O'Connor, Lights - James F. Ingalls (Second Hand
Memory), Original music/sound: John Gromada
Well now here are some brave producers. Willing to put up a play that features a
Palestinian who asks "Give me a better choice than a bomb. Give me one."
And when nothing that is said in response seems to be enough - what do we do? It is a
brave moment to put onstage for all of us now far away once again from war.
It is this moment to which we are headed from the second Metwally comes hurtling
through Hirsch's bakery window. In between those two moments this play tries. It
tries and tries and tries. Palestinian boy is befriended by Jewish baker, meets infidel
girl, falls in love, gets pregnant, tells her he is a terrorist, is revealed by her to the baker
who says 'Not in my back yard!' End of Act One.
Act two is nine months later and the baker not only has never confronted the young
man in question, he is practicing Arabic prayers for the baby's arrival. The first scene
in the second act was nearly a sit com. What happened to the righteous indignation that
ended act one? We never really find out. Instead there is a moving moment of Hirsch
singing to the baby in its womb. Then he reaches out to the hooker who has been his
partner for nine years, and she does not reach back. Finally comes the time when the
man and the boy must reveal their secrets, and their shames, and butt heads.
I was expecting not to like Hirsch, and I was surprised. He is light on his feet and
heavy in his head and heart. He has a history and he lets it have a life in his
performance. I expected to like Martha Plimpton, and I didn't, but I think this was due
both to the writing as well as the choice of giving the actors accents. It is a habit I've
never understood. If the action takes place in Amsterdam, and all the characters are
speaking English so that we can understand them, why give them accents? Especially
accents that are not consistent. Jan Maxwell is the hooker in her twilight who moves in
and out of the story and is not given nearly enough to say. Waleed F. Zuaiter is the
brother who shows up to hold the present up to the light so we can see the cracks in
the facade as it starts to crumble.
The set is grand - a slice of old kitchen and funky bakery; the lighting skillful in giving
us not only the harsh kitchen work light, but the intimate touches of lives lived within
and without the bakery; the sound very effective - more so in the first act - in putting
the city directly outside the bakery door.
I wanted to care about these people, but I walked out caring about the situation more.
I cared that I sat there and waited for Hirsch's character to give us an answer to the
plea "Give me a better choice than a bomb. Give me one." I waited and waited.
Which turns the finger back at me. Why am I waiting? Why not create an answer?
So yes. Bravely done. Would that the writing supported the courage.
©2004 Tulis McCall
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