I did give the half price booth of TKTS a go again yesterday. I was there on Saturday afternoon around 3pm, and the queue was impressively long. So long that I was in doubt if I wanted to queue at all. But I had my book with me, and the sun was doing it’s best to shine, so I did go for it. I timed it : it took me 20 minutes from the end of the queue to the little window of the ticket service desk. Unfortunately there wasn’t a man with a nice voice this time.
I could hear a Dutch couple mocking on about if they should go see Mama Mia or Les Miserables. They definetely weren’t pleased to stand in this queueu at all. And I could sense the atmosphere of a pre divorce stage between these two. I wanted to say “Don’t see any of those, go see Blue Man Group” as that might save their marriage. But I didn’t do it.
I bought a ticket for “My name is Rachel Corrie“. This theatre play has received so many fantastic reviews in the papers, that I decided to give it a go. I didn’t really know what I was going to watch, I didn’t know anything about Rachel Corrie or who she was. I only knew it was directed by Alan Rickman (yes the actor, creep in Harry Potter, far from creep in Love Actually).
The play is performed in the Playhouse Theatre, located beside Embankment station, and the Hungerford Bridge. It was beautiful inside, as all the theatres I have seen so far here in London are.
And what a play it was.
“Why did a 23-year-old woman leave her comfortable American life to stand between a bulldozer and a Palestinian home?
The short life and sudden death of Rachel Corrie, and the words she left behind. ”
“Elegantly edited and shaped from Rachel?s diaries and writings by Alan Rickman and the Guardian?s Katharine Viner, and performed with egoless, unaffected simplicity by Megan Dodds, this play is not about a girl who died, but about one who packed more into 23 years than most of us do into a lifetime.” (The Guardian)
It was performed by one actor only (Megan Dodds), who was incredible, she did a really fantastic job. The stage and lightning were fantastic. The play is based on her diary, and the emails she send back home from Gaza to her parents. She had such a vivid way of writing, and they had been able to transfer that to stage, which is quite an achievement. I was touched by it, and shocked about her story and how it ended. It surely makes you think, but it is also very inspiring.
Absolutely recommended this play.
In the USA they didn’t like it, it was considered too political and they have been censoring it. Yes Big Brother is still watching.
Read more about Rachel Corrie and the play:
In the Guardian : Let me fight my monsters
The Royal Court Theatre website
The Rachel Corrie Foundation
It would be interesting if you could comment on the political content of the play as its this aspect which has caused so much consternation amongst Zionists and Israel apologists.
Well, first of all I am quite ignorant when it comes to Middle East politics, and the situation in Israel, and Gaza in particular. So from a political point of view, I can’t come up with an opinion, as I have nothing to base it on.
Related to this play though : I felt this play was focussing on the life of a brave girl, doing what she felt was right. A life that ended in a horrible way. I didn’t have the feeling that the play continually tried to push politic views in my face.
Of course the relation between Israel and Palestine gets mentioned, and yes she got run over by an Israelian bulldozer while trying to protect the house of a Palestinian family with small children. Accoring to eyewitnesses that happened on purpose. If that is the case, it is a horrible thing to do.
I loved this play because it was a good story, because it was very well acted, because it was about a very inspiring person who chased whatever she believed in. That’s the reason why I recommend this play. Not because the play had political content.
Does that answer your question a bit ?
It does, thank you.