When David Hare’s
searing docu-drama, Stuff Happens, premiered at the National Theatre in London in
2004 it was quickly hailed for its depth and insight into what was then the
still unfolding saga of deception and military adventurism that resulted in the
failed Bush policy in Iraq. When Studio 180 mounted the show in Toronto last
year in the 284 seat Berkeley Theatre it quickly became the hit of the season
with sold out performances for the length of the run. This brought the
production to the attention of Mirvish Productions who programmed it as part of
their 2009-2010 subscription series.
The question is – with this much distance between the
actual events in question and the play’s transferal to a much larger venue (playing
at the Royal Alexandra Theatre until December 23) – do the devious machinations
and deceptions of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Blair and a large assortment of
cohorts and supporting players – still have resonance for a theatre going
audience. Sadly, the answer is still yes. Perhaps more so today than when the
play was originally written as the Obama administration so cavalierly ignores a
legacy of torture, destruction and “collateral damage” (the term given to
civilian and non-combatant deaths and injuries) as they ramp up the
misadventure and double down in Afghanistan.
I have not yet had an opportunity to see the show but the
daily print media reviews are in and by the looks of it Studio 180 artistic director Joel
Greenberg has repeated his success.
Cast changes including Michael Healey in the role of George W. Bush and Karen
Robinson as Condoleezza Rice have
given new actors an opportunity to bring fresh insights to their roles.
I believe I can safely stand upon my previous Aisle Say
review which can be found at:
http://www.aislesay.com/ONT-STUFF.html