"In the afterlife, the epistemelogical fruit of knowledge hangs so low, but soon you realize that's all there is to eat!" - The Tiger
Ah, the plays of Broadway. More often than not, short lived pieces of drama that grace the stage long enough to earn a few Tony noms and employ a few TV/Movie stars. This was a Dark Comedy, an even more difficult piece to market to the general layman. People see "Robin Williams" on the marquee and expect to go see something like Hook or Jumanji or Patch Adams. What they got was something half as funny and, in my opinion, something twice as interesting.
The play takes place in Baghdad, Iraq in the midst of the second Gulf War. Impressively, this piece managed to avoid taking any strong political stance on the war, but simply explores the lives of those affected by it. The action revolves around a golden gun, stolen from the house of one of Saddam Hussein's sons during the raid. This gun journeys around the hands of several of the characters, who subsequently are haunted by ghosts. Robin Williams plays the role of a Tiger, suggested only by his movements and shaggy hair. Once the Tiger is killed in the opening scene, he sticks around, becoming and ever-looming figure as he broods on the existence of the soul and God.
The questions this play raises are questions often asked: What is God? Is there anything after this life? Can God really hear me? How do we know what is right? These questions and more are raised, raised and only half answered by the characters living and dying in the midst of the tumultuous Iraq war. The setting raises the stakes for the characters in a unique and interesting way. A slain Tiger's soul is left wandering the earth, trying to unravel the meaning of his continued existence. A translator for the US Military questions his loyalties (He was once the gardener for Saddam Hussein's sons. And a foolish young soldier finds himself wise in death, thus returning to help his dying friend. I could write about the plot for you, but it follows three separate stories and frankly, I don't feel like taking the time to go back through it all. So hopefully these snap shots of plot are enough to give you a general idea about the play.
I really enjoyed this piece. When it started, I felt the cues were a bit slow, but as the show gained momentum the dialogue became much tighter which added to the urgency of the story. Characters pondering spirituality and life can get dull, but when you place them in an active war zone full of intrigue, the musings become more desperate and the action far more interesting. I thought it was a good play, well written, interesting, and it gave Robin Williams a chance to flex both his comedic muscle (He had an excellent monologue about Tigers being Atheists) and search his way through deeper issues of meaning. I am shocked that this play had only 3 nominations and no wins at the Tonys. But even more than that, I was shocked that people left at intermission. Maybe its the fact that I'm a poor college student, but I'm not paying for a ticket to a Broadway show and getting my money's worth. I'm sorry Robin Williams wasn't cute enough for you. Maybe you'll like "The MotherF**ker with the Hat", I hear it won a few Tonys. My rating: **** out of *****
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