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Death Threats Stop Play

POLITICAL COMMENTARY - by G.L. Horton

In a discussion about whether death threats should stop production of a play, RN wrote: "You stop it. Art is less important than life. . . . It's sad that violence is effective as a threat but the director of Birmingham Stage Company who wanted to re-stage the play is being unrealistic if he wants his troops to face death threats for a play."

Ratna got death threats for "insulting" her religion and leaders. Ratna and her daughter were jailed, and we in ICWP protested. When she couldn't continue to risk the lives of her fellow actors, she did a one woman play and put her own life on the line. If an artist believes her work is true and that she has a sacred duty to bear witness to that truth, isn't that something worth risking death to accomplish?

When we produced my play about the abortion clinic, we knew that the local militants who were threatening and attacking clinics might come after us. Every actress in the play acknowledged this, and committed to the production because she believed the courage of the abortion counselors who were putting their own lives on the line should be honored, and their stories told. Producing Eliza Wyatt's play about women under the Iranian Revolution, we operated under the assumption that there was a chance we would be attacked by fanatics-- from either side. It was a low profile occasion, and nothing happened (unless you count the police detention of an "armed" actor playing an Iranian soldier who had to cross around the back of the theatre to make an entrance). But there, too, the actors thought truthful "controversial" art worth the risk.

Many actors have courage that would put soldiers and saints to shame. They practice it every time they step on stage. (12/22/04)

 

 

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