MAN.GOV

I have to admit I was unsure of watching Off Off Broadway shows because many times they are less exciting than Broadways shows and have difficult topics. But, Man.Gov has changed my mind completely. I have fallen in love with Off Off Broadway shows! I did not expect much when I went to see Man.Gov but I was blown away by how fantastic it was. The acting, lighting, and set came together so well that I was totally absorbed in the story for all 90 minutes of the play.

Man.Gov is about a government worker named Dave played by Christopher Curry. The play takes place just before the Iraq War started in 2003. Dave has worked for the government for 30 years as an arms inspector. He does not discuss his work with anyone but deep inside he thinks that the citizens have the right to know the truth of what is going on. The government has told the people that there are nuclear weapons in Iraq but the government and Dave know that there are no nuclear weapons in Iraq. Through a writer named Graylin James, played by Robert Cicchini, Dave tells the citizens the truth. James does not put Dave’s name in the article but everyone finds out and he is put on trial. In the play, Dave has strained relations with his daughter Laura, played by Britt Napier. Graylin James is her favorite writer and like him, she does not like the government’s actions. She does not like how her father cannot tell her anything and thinks he is a coward that just does his job and cannot stand up and do the right thing.

The subject of the play was an event that the audience had experienced so we could relate to the topic and understand how the characters are feeling. We could relate to the anger the citizens felt towards the government’s lies. The topic of Iraq did allow me to relate to the play, but what connected me to the play even more was the topic of family. The play is about how a household falls apart because of the government’s actions. Dave just wants to protect his family and give them a good life. But Laura does not understand this and after her mother died she begins to act out. She drinks, has sex with many people, does not get along with her stepmother and quits school. Her father did convince her to go back to school but the two still do not get along because she does not agree with the government’s actions and does not think her father understands her. Dave interviews with the writer because he wants Laura to respect him but still, they do not get along. If we look at Dave and Laura’s problem from a broader view we see strains in a father-daughter relationship. At one point in life both sides think the other does not understand them and tension arises. Although the problems do not blow up as big as the problem in the play, most families experience similar problems. In the beginning there is a scene where Dave tries to talk to Laura about her future while she is reading a book and Laura barely responds. It is a light scene where they fight about her school and his diet. It is a typical small fight that fathers and daughters have and it reminded me of my fights with my dad.

The acting was so real that I really believed that the characters were a family and Dave was part of the government. The familiar plotline and the superb acting really helped me enjoy the play.

Another outstanding part of the production was the lighting and set. Being an Off Off Broadway play the set did not change throughout the play. On the left was an office chair, in the middle a table and chairs and on the right two single sofas. But each part of the set was used for different scenes and the lighting and acting was done so well that you could not even realize you were watching the same set. The middle table turned from a family dinner table to a conference table and then to a bar.

There was nothing I could complain about. Everything was amazingly done and I walked out of the theater in awe. Man.gov is one play that you cannot miss. It is not a funny comedy and it may have a serious topic, but you will love how it is performed. If you have an hour and thirty minutes to spare, watching Man.gov will be able to make most of that time and you will not waste even a minute of your time!