Blog #1 Israel Horovitz

The Israel Horovitz plays were both thought provoking and extremely controversial. The first play “The Indian Wants the Bronx” seemed as if it was another portrayal of violence and racism in the city. The plot of the play itself was very “ugly.” An Indian named Gupta encounters two delinquents, Joey and Murph, as he frantically searches for his son. These two distinct characters continually pester the Indian, becoming enraged at the language barrier between them. Language is a one of several many unifying traits that people can share. The anger and acts of cruelty imposed on the Indian exemplify how cultural differences can play a tremendous role in our society. I thought this play showed a side of New York that almost all immigrants have experienced at one point. It actually made me think back to a time when I knew very little English, a time where day after day I was the source of everyone’s laughter and entertainment. Yet despite all of the violence that seemed to be written into the script, I found the acting very enjoyable. Both actors were extremely audible in the large auditorium and had managed to keep my attention amidst all the noise and cell phones going off. When I found out that Hunter College was not a familiar workspace for the actors, I was very impressed with how the Barefoot Company made use of their limited resources and props. Even the spotlights and introductory sounds seemed on par with the acting. Overall I thought the bold characters and skilled acting was an excellent way to start off the night.

The second play “What Strong Fences Make” was my least favorite production. It was not the script or plot I had a problem with but more so with the performance and quality of the acting. I understood that some of the actors were being recycled into subsequent plays, such as the actor who played the Indian in “The Indian Wants the Bronx,” but it was shocking to see such a drop in the quality of work being put out. I am certain that I am not the only one who feels this way. I could not hear a large majority of the dialogue that went on between the actors. It was unfortunate that this play consisted mostly of dialogue. As part of the audience I felt like I was being excluded from the action, the juicy stuff. It was like biting into a steak cooked to rubbery perfection. From what I was able to make out from the ominous background music, the small portions of recognizable dialogue, and the bombastic explosion at the end, I think the play was about the idea that rage trumps friendship and gets the better of man. The uncontrollable nature of people and reluctance to listen to others continually breeds destruction. A failure to compromise is one of the primary reasons why nations wage wars. I would like to reiterate that most of this is from what I observed and may not necessarily hold true. I was very disappointed in the acting, but the props and costumes were very aesthetically pleasing. I certainly did not expect the Indian to be carrying such a big gun.

The last play of the night “Beirut Rocks” did more than make up for the previous performance. To me this production reeked of a history built on heavy tension and cultural differences. From my peers I understood that this play stirred up a whirlpool of controversy, the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Beirut Rocks” happened to be the script that we explored in theatre workshop, so I did try to keep the historical context in mind as I watched. Unfortunately I found myself more attached to each individual character because I was given the opportunity to act out the script beforehand. I was more intrigued with the idea of self-realization and awareness of the people around you that I had almost forgotten Benji’s and Nasa’s ingrained hatred for each other. I was stunned by the performance. The actors had managed to capture each character as I had imagined them, especially Benji’s cool demeanor and Nasa’s subtle inborn hatred. My eyes bulged when Benji whipped out the golf club and began banging on bed. I could not help but wonder if Nasa really did have a bomb underneath her dress. The acting was that good. The props, costumes, and lighting were perfect and only intensified the dispute between the characters. As I watched the curtain close I found myself thinking, “It’s pretty shocking how much people really hate each other deep down.”

The talkback session with the cast, directors, and playwright Israel Horovitz was not how I had envisioned it. Somewhere along the lines of trying to understand what theme Horovitz focused on, I had my doubts on whether there was really a theme at all. I was confused when Horovitz had stated that there was no theme, and that the three plays were a collection of his favorite written works. I was even more baffled when he went off on a tangent discussing inappropriately dressed “wood nymphs” or pixies or something like that. Whether or not there was an intended theme to be followed as we watched the performance, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed theatre day. I am happy that there is more to come.