“DIRTY STORY” By John Patrick Shanley, Directed by Valerie Curtis The Intiman Th

“DIRTY STORY”

By John Patrick Shanley, Directed by Valerie Curtis

The Intiman Theater

An allegorical story with four characters representing the Jews, the Palestinians, the Americans and the English. Starts out well, perhaps even deep, which gives the audience hope that something good might follow. But then rapidly devolves into freshman level writing, and embarrassing attempts at slapstick and farce. Humor is a very hard thing. And some subjects make it even more difficult.

The best thing I can say is that the actors did an exceptional job with material unbefitting either the author or the subject. The cartoonish representation of each position, provided little humor and even less insight into the plight of each, and served to reinforce stereotypical falsehoods rather than provide solutions. In particular it represents the USA as an ignorant buffoon rather than a distant country desperately trying to drag ancient peoples with mortal feuds into the modern world of cooperative consumerism, entirely for their benefit, but entirely against their wishes, using every possible device available. And of course, the author then throws the usual gratuitous, false and apologetic homage to the most primitive ambitions.

I am too respectful of actors to walk out on a play except at intermission. But the last half hour was so painfully tedious, common and predictable that I desperately wanted to, and literally counted down the minutes to the end. I estimated the theatre’s take for the evening at $750. A pittance. And the economist in me argues that at least we’re keeping people off the streets. But I’m not sure it’s worth it for this kind of fare. Walking the streets would undoubtably be better for both mind and body.