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Again
Written & Directed by Steven M. Roseman
Produced by Two Roman Senators Production
At Angel Island
735 W. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL
Call 773-972-7685, tickets $15
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 25 minutes with intermission
Through February 17, 2008
Again dramatically portrays U.S. Military’s abuse of law
Two Roman Senators Production of Again suffers from having the same guy being artistic director, playwright and director of a new work. Steven M. Roseman’s cautionary tale of abuse of personal liberties by the military in the name of safety covers ground we are thoroughly familiar with. This post 911 tale contains all the stereotypical characters from the cold sadistic General to the liberal civil rights lawyer to the amoral Army attorney who ‘just does his job’ in persecuting the detainee to the young officer who tortures the detainee.
All the predictable elements are in place that finds Jacob Ben-Kor (Steve Gilpin) being detained in a secret military prison somewhere outside the USA. Jacob was a student at a Michigan college and was accused of being a terrorist ready to be a suicide bomber determined to blow up a football stadium during a game. The evidence is so slim that questions the military’s motive for arresting Jacob. Could it be because he had a gay relationship with his terrorist suspect professor?
We see how the President and the Attorney General have direct access to the General in charge of torturing suspect into confessions. The details presented here stretch credibility. Playwright Steven M. Roseman simply rehashes clichéd plot details that has archetypes characters doing horrible things just like the Nazis or the KGB. This cautionary tale runs too long, is predictable and has a confusing ending. This is a tired tale that has been done too many times to have much weight. I think we are desensitized to our eroding liberties so this cautionary tale unfolds with little impact.
As a piece of theatre it is trite and unoriginal and the ending has too much happening to satisfy. This show proves that one shouldn’t write and direct an original work.
Not Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2008
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