Stuff Happens

From the minute I read the synopsis for Stuff Happens, I thought it might be my favorite play of the ACT season. The booklet reads:

"If the grim reports out of Iraq have you wondering how we got there, you'll be spellbound as this compelling "quasi-documentary" takes you behind the closed doors leading up to the war. How did the president earn Tony Blair's loyalty and France's scorn? And what was Colin Powell thinking? Shakespearean in scope, this blistering ensemble show pulls no punches. And in Hare's telling, none of us is off the hook."

It's old news that the Bush Administration lied and deceived its way into the war, but what's not so clear is what actually (or probably) transpired behind the scenes. And for someone who only knows select bits and pieces, or hasn't had the inclination to delve further into the issue, this well-researched play lays it out in a palatable and oftentimes hilarious manner. For instance, I wasn't clear on Blair's role in the war, but a good chunk of the play revolves around his involvement.

A large cast represents the major players in the discussions leading up to the Iraq war: Bush, Powell, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Rice, Blair, de Villepin, Blix. I thought they were all played very well, with some exceptional performances by Powell and Blair, as well as clever comic relief from de Villepin (the French are so funny, n'est pas?). And for a change, Bush wasn't portrayed so much as a dumb schmuck, but rather a bystander (if full of himself) with genuine beliefs. You almost liked him.

One thing that struck both Robin and I were the moments of balanced opinion. It wasn't just a liberal smoothie to comfortably slurp down. There were parts that tried to elicit an understanding of a different angle. For instance, an angry journalist comes on stage and rages about the fact that everyone is so absorbed in the illegality and fumbles of the war that they forget that millions of people were freed from a dictatorship. However mistaken that view is, it's a tiny pinch on the buttocks of liberal cliches.

It goes without saying that I recommend this play. There are no final answers as to any one reason for starting the war, but many are alluded to, such as Cheney's association with Halliburton, Rummy's obsession with war and Bush's messages from God. Whether you're politically-inclined or not, it's a play that everyone can learn from, and be entertained in the process. Buy tickets here.