Five… very fitting plays for current events…
Well… we’re looking at a very serious election and our choices are a con man who from the looks of it has no conscience, and our Vice President who definitely has more experience in government. We’ve lived through a pandemic, but we’re still reeling from it and not a lot of people learned from it. There’s uh… Palestine. Women are still underrepresented in science and medicine. And as usual, the arts are always on the chopping block. So to start off fall, I thought I’d write an article outlining plays that are pretty goddamn relevant to current events. Or maybe… always will be. But these are the masterful plays that are on my mind right now.
Rhinoceros, by Eugene Ionesco.
Rhinoceros is an allegory on the rise of Nazism, fascism, and above all, mob mentality. Ionesco saw this in his lifetime, and the first time I read this play I nearly fell out of my chair. When Trump first came to power (including before the first time he was “elected”) I was seeing things that took my breath away. People succumbing to mob mentality, including folks I’ve known my whole life that I never imagined would fall for this. Powerful people scapegoating groups while playing off his followers fears and ignorance. Now just to be clear, it’s not like these things didn’t happen to some extent in this country before, including modern times. But Trump does it unabashedly. I mean, come on. There are assholes who do and say politically incorrect things. But there’s a fine line between these assholes and people like Trump–and Trump leaps right the fuck over that line. As he came to power, I kept thinking to myself “I can’t believe this–this is the kinda stuff you see in other counties”. This is exactly what the protagonist, Berenger reflects on in this play. But interestingly enough, this play doesn’t portray these things as black and white. For one thing, it shows sympathy with the people turning into rhinoceroses without excusing their actions. And for another, we’re surprised by who the heroes are. Berenger is lazy and seemingly apathetic, and hits the bottle pretty hard. This is a contrast to Jean, the well groomed know-it-all. Berenger is an everyman and he’s not apathetic per se… he just sees through society’s bullshit and that’s the reason for his attitude. He may be slovenly, but at least he’s not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Whether or not Trump is the president again, his damage will likely continue for a long time, if not forever. For Christ’s sake, even experts in fascism think Trump is a fascist–and experts who don’t think that are still saying he’s very much like one! The only caveat is that since this play has so many minor characters and it’s copyrighted, it can be a bitch to produce by community theaters. But well worth it. We’re facing a terrifying election and this play is echoing in my mind, just as much as it was in 2016.
An Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen
Set in 19th century Norway, this play tells the tale of a public health emergency–that many claim as a hoax! Sound familiar? When a prominent doctor learns that the popular spas in town are contaminated he seeks to get the word out. He’s shocked when faced with backlash from the townspeople, the politicians and the people who run the spas. As we live in a time dealing with anti-maskers, anti vaxxers, and climate deniers, this play seems pretty fitting. (Side note, climate change actually contributes to pandemics, as I stated when I directed a virtual production of a short Caryl Churchill play.) But here’s what really makes the play such a jewel: all the grey areas. Dr. Stockman, the main character, is the hero. But he’s also on a journey and he’s not perfect. And he gets a lot of rude awakenings, much like I did as I watched the denial of Covid over the past four years. Stockman has verifiable proof that the water is contaminated, but when he shows it to his fellow citizens he’s shocked to see they turn a blind eye to facts. Furthermore, his approach of ridding society of ignorance, while well meaning, can come off as condescending. But don’t write him off, he’s human. That’s the point. Also, consider why people deny the contamination: they’re scared. It’s ok to feel that way. Change takes time. And it’s really hard. But this play shows it’s worth it. But the best part is the ending. (Spoiler alert). There’s no big disaster in the end. No one dies. No one falls to their knees and says “oh, if only we had listened”. There’s no real catharsis. This shocked the hell outta me when I read it. In other words, it was anti-climactic–but I think this was intentional. Just because we don’t see the disaster, doesn’t mean it’s not looming. Ibsen is asking us to trust the doctor! And that’s the biggest point of the play.
Seven Jewish Children, by Caryl Churchill
This ten minute play is a raw and honest portrayal of the horrors inflicted upon Palestine. OK, first of all, I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Israel/Palestine conflict, but here’s the short version of the story. But I do feel that speaking out against the horrific things happening in Palestine is not anti-Semitism, and anyone who thinks otherwise is, at best, a fool. And a very reliable group, among them is many rabbis, agree with this sentiment. With that said, this play is a must read. It tells the story of Jewish characters struggling with the idea of an imminent attack on Gaza. The staging and variation of the plot and characters can differ in many productions, and this is with Churchill’s permission. But it tells the story through a group of Israeli’s point of view, which I find interesting. We see them wrestle with their conscience, without excusing their actions. The play is no walk in the park–and that’s the point. Performance art that speaks out against the injustices in Gaza should come with bluntness, no matter how you choose to portray it. This is a very important play, and it greatly resonates with other oppressed groups.
The How and the Why, by Sarah Treem
Two women biologists meet: Zelda and Rachel. The latter is just starting out her career, the former is world renowned. While the overall theme is showcasing how women are vastly underrepresented in the field of science, it tells the story of Rachel sharing her theory on why human females menstruate, while most mammals do not. Science knows how women menstruate… just not why. And the reason we don’t know this is simple: most scientists have been male throughout history–so they never bothered to check. It’s not uncommon for things concerning women to be unknown–if not flat out ignored–and this has consequences. For one thing, you have a right to know about your body. For another, if a group is under represented in a field, it fuels the devaluation of that group. Luckily, there are things to help women gain an interest and career in science, and adding creativity in the mix is one of them. This play is a good start to that creativity!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by some dude named Shakespeare. (I dunno, maybe you’ve heard of him?)
Wait! What?! This article about important plays has this play listed?! Is that your response?? Well, yeah. I do think this play is important. Lemme tell you something, plays that “deliver a message” are crucial to society and to the field of theater. But that’s not ALL theater is, or any other art form. Let’s not forget, art is meant to move us. Weather it makes us laugh, or cry. Whether it makes us reflect on our world, or celebrate our world. We need plays that bring us joy, with or without a “message”. Because life is a gift. Why not put on plays that remind us of life’s gifts: love, nature, the mystery of the unknown spiritual world, and so on. Don’t forget the importance of that. Who cares if it’s, for lack of a better word, goofy, or can’t be explained completely with logic? Not everything can. Remember Bottom’s quote: “I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was: man is but an ass, if he go about to expound this dream”. So what I’m saying is, don’t be an ass! Don’t throw away something beautiful just because you don’t understand it completely. Or because it may come off as fluff–because it’s not! Don’t forget to enjoy the good things in life! Ever! That’s why this play is important. (Besides, hell, I think it does have good messages. For one thing, the kids defying the cruelty of their parents, and the parents eventually seeing the error of their ways. Also, just because Bottom is poor doesn’t mean he can’t be smart and thoughtful!) So yeah, how do you like dem apples?!
Can you think of any more important plays? Well, let’s hope they get staged.
