A LIVING FORCE IN A COCOON OF REAL WORDS |
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) Edited from her own writings by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner Directed by: Lara Macgregor at The Forge at The Court Theatre, Christchurch From 29 May 2009 to 27 Jun 2009 Reviewed by Lindsay Clark, 30 May 2009 |
The latest offering at The Forge comes with an impressive record of international success and is itself part of a wider crusade for peace and justice in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (http://www.rachelcorriefoundation.org/site/). First performed in 2005 at the Royal Court in London, the play was at the centre of a predictable controversy when first attempted in politically sensitive New York, adding to its eventual impact there and all over the world.
Few would argue with the idealism and humanity which inspires it and as verbatim theatre pieced together from the real diaries and e-mails of Rachel herself it is undeniably significant. They trace her early family life in Olympia, Washington (she was born in 1979), her involvement with the International Solidarity Movement and tragic death in 2003 , seeking to protect a Palestinian family home from an Israeli military bulldozer. A short life then, which has nevertheless touched a nerve in a world numbed by the incessant horror of war.
The challenge for a solo performer is daunting and trust between the director, Lara Macgregor, and Kate Prior as Rachel has clearly been at the heart of the performed work, as it establishes an endlessly curious and questing young woman faced with the concentrated madness of destruction in Palestine and the unshakeable dignity and generosity of its impoverished citizens.
In this role, Kate Prior manages with expressive ease the transition from the humorous exuberance of her life in Olympia to the gritty understatement of its final phase, and was rewarded on the opening night by warm applause. No mere imitation of Rachel, she is convincing as a living force in a cocoon of real words.
In spite of her performance however, the play did not deeply engage me either politically or as a human story. The 'talking head' aspect is a given of course, since the events are framed for solo voice, but somehow the factual record of terrible events, without verbal or visual images to confirm them, do not work well in theatre. Perhaps too the ending did not resonate as I was anticipating though the deadly bulldozer seemed an effective metaphor for the whole tragic situation.
If the play opens wider debate about compassion and tolerance, it will certainly have rewarded the spirited commitment of Rachel Corrie herself. Meanwhile this production stands as an interesting contribution to the spectrum of challenging work at The Forge.
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Hannah Smith
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