I’m loath to say very much at all
about Death of the Persian Prince only because the less you know about what it has up its
sleeve, the more powerful it is. What’s unfortunate is that it’s being
publicized as an “issue” play, and none of the promotion hides what the issue
is, so for the audience member who knows the subject matter, a key element of
suspense and surprise is missing, rather like watching a mystery knowing the
solution. However, playwright-director Dewey Moss has done his job so well, with this tight, taut
70-minute play, that knowing “the big secret” may not diminish the impact but
only heighten it differently.
The
very accurate boilerplate synopsis is this: On an evening in New York City,
Samantha (Pooya Mohseni) and James (George
Faya) arrive at Samantha's apartment after
having attended a political lecture about Samantha's home country, Iran. The
couple spars in a political debate, though it is obvious they are in love after
having dated for five months. James is a veteran of the Iraq war, and tries to
be open minded, but defaults to a typical American stance on other countries.
Though Samantha has few plans to return to Iran, she still longs for her home
country and has great hope that political situations in Iran will change. When
James suggests that he and Samantha make future plans together, things become
uncomfortable. Samantha asks James to make a late night run for wine in order to
avoid his advances. A knock at the door is heard. Samantha answers, and is
caught off guard by an unexpected visitor (Gopal Divan) from her homeland.
If
the structural configuration sounds familiar, it is, but Mr. Moss knows just
how to spin it so that it’s surprising too. And the cast is terrific.
Death
of the Persian Prince is an award-winning
festival play and its current NY run (at DMAC-Duo Multicultural Arts Center, 62
East 4th) is very short, playing only through the end of September. But it’s
very worthy of being offered by a subscription off-Broadway theatre company and
being produced in the regionals ASAP. It’s a solid, provocative, well-rendered
sleeper…that really keeps you awake…
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