|
 In
a still unfolding narrative, two playwrights have made the news
by focusing on a subject that's galvanised the news agenda for the
last few years.
Mark
Shenton on drama that takes the pulse of the war on Iraq...
Premiered
at the National Theatre on the eve of the third anniversary of September
11, David Hare's Stuff Happens is a soberly chilling dramatic
replay of the drive towards war.
| "Hare's
own arrangement of the facts into a compelling narrative
leads
us to our own conclusions..." |
It
is of course based on beliefs that Iraq harboured weapons of mass
destruction, which have never been found, and that there was a link
between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida, which has never been proved.
While
director Nicholas Hytner is also currently responsible for the hit
production of Alan Bennett's The
History Boys, which wryly looks at the subjectivity of historical
interpretation, this history play seeks to steer an objective documentary
path through some of the decisions that led to the war on Iraq and
its repercussions.
Hare's
own arrangement of those facts into a compelling narrative –
and our own memories of how we felt at the time, since no one can
possibly come neutral to this play – leads us to our own conclusions.
rabbit
in the headlights
Following
a story of global politics and process that stretches from the White
House and Camp David to Downing Street and the United Nations, these
events have been amazingly condensed into three hours of gripping
theatre.
The
stunning ensemble features superb performances from Alex Jennings
as George Bush, Joe Morton as a completely compelling Secretary
of State Colin Powell, who tries but fails to urge caution, Desmond
Barrrit as Dick Cheney and Nicholas Farrell as our own PM, frequently
stricken like a rabbit in the headlights as he tries to keep up
with the Americans.
 Meanwhile,
in Embedded at the Riverside Studios, Hollywood actor and
activist Tim Robbins offers a far less nuanced, comic-strip approach
to the war as it is being fought.
This
account hinges on the propaganda front, with journalists being 'embedded'
with the forces and only able to offer a highly controlled picture
of what's happening on the ground in Iraq.
His
production, performed by the Actor's Gang from Los Angeles, has
a certain crude theatrical vigour, it's true, but there's not enough
rigour in the broad comic brushstrokes with which it is painted
and observed.
Stuff
Happens
is at the National Theatre, Olivier, South Bank SE1, in rep until
6 November. Box office: 020 7452 3000
Web:
National Theatre
(The
BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites)
Embedded
is at the Riverside Studios, Crisp Road Hammersmith W6, until 23
October. Box office: 020 8237 1111
Web:
Riverside
Studios
More
theatre reviews here>>
This
month's essential theatre planner here>>
Jump
to our theatre index for features
and more
|
Listen live
Click
through amazing shots of London from high up in a helicopter!