Stuff Happens Searing Chronicle of Build Up to Iraq War

Stuff Happens by David Hare

Direction and Scenic Design, David J. Miller; Lighting Design, Jeff Adelberg; Costume Design, Jennifer Finn; Sound Design, Walter Eduardo; Stage Manager, Deirdre Benson; Production Manager, John Tibbetts; Projection Designer, Dorian Des Lauriers; Dialect Coach, Jennifer Burke

CAST (in alphabetical order): Maureen Adduci, James Bodge, Robert Bonotto, Peter Brown, Elizabeth Brunette, Steven M. Key, Colin Kiley, Ben Lambert, Greg Maraio, Christine Power, Brian Quint, Bill Salem, Cheryl D. Singleton, John Taoultsides, Steve Turner, and Harold Whitee as George W. Bush

Performances through December 2 at The Boston Center for the Arts, Plaza Black Box Theatre, 539 Tremont Street, Boston    Box Office 617-933-8600 or www.BostonTheatreScene.com                                                                                      www.ZeitgeistStage.com

A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of seeing a wonderful production of 1776 at the Lyric Stage Company. It was a stirring history lesson chronicling the events that led to the birth of our nation. It celebrated that birth and the vision and perseverance of John Adams and the founding fathers. It made me feel proud to be an American. I mention it now because of the stark contrast between those events and players and the events and players in Stuff Happens in its New England premiere at the Zeitgeist Stage Company.

This history play by David Hare takes its title from a comment made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in April, 2003, when asked about looting following the fall of Baghdad. The playwright employs the principals of the United States and British governments, transcripts of real speeches, and his own imagination to show how and why the Bush administration led America into the war in Iraq. He connects the dots from September 11, 2001, to the invasion on March 19, 2003, and makes a very strong case for the inevitability of it all. George W. Bush is depicted as having the courage of his convictions, but not always the rationale to back them.

Stuff Happens is compelling drama and, while not a documentary, primarily a work of nonfiction. In addition to Bush and Rumsfeld, the roles include Tony Blair, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Paul Wolfowitz, Hans Blix, George Tenet, and other major world figures. We have lived through the era (2001-2004) covered by the play, but it is akin to watching time-lapse photography to see the events acted out before us over the course of three hours. The effect is powerful and disturbing.

Hare allows us to be the proverbial fly on the wall in meetings with these political leaders where the drumbeat for war starts slowly and softly, then builds to a crescendo as it takes on a life of its own. Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Cheney are the primary percussionists, while Powell and Blair are more thoughtful and temperate, trying to proceed in an ordered way by gathering support in a coalition and using the offices of the United Nations. Both are sacrificed (politically speaking) for their trouble by Bush and his henchmen. Aspersions are cast on weapons inspector Blix and the entire nation of France. President Bush makes it abundantly clear that he has no problem with the idea of our country operating unilaterally. ("At some point we may be the only ones left. That's okay with me. We are America," as quoted in Bush at War by Bob Woodward.)

Homage is first due Hare for the massive undertaking of researching and pulling it all together in an intelligent and cogent format that is also entertaining. Next, the cast, director, and technical team deserve full credit for mounting Stuff Happens in the intimate space of the BCA. With its low ceiling, bright overhead lights, and bleacher-style seating arrangement, the audience almost becomes part of the act and it feels like we are in the Situation Room with the members of the National Security Council. Flat screen television panels on opposing walls project slides to indicate the location (Oval Office, Camp David, 10 Downing St., et al), but we have only to look at the actors' faces to read the emotions of the moment. Bush transforms from his bewilderment on 9/11 to assertively deliver the ultimatum -either you are with us or you are with the terrorists- ten days later. Harold Whitee does not so much resemble W. as he "captures" him - his mannerisms, his tone, his attitude.

Across the board, the cast brings these real life characters to life. From the cool and collected Condoleeza Rice (Cheryl D. Singleton), to the odious Rumsfeld (Peter Brown), the flummoxed Tony Blair (Robert Bonotto), the authoritarian Dick Cheney (James Bodge), and the tragic Colin Powell (Steven M. Key), the major roles are played with depth and clarity. Sixteen actors and actresses play 72 parts, move tables and chairs into place, change costume several times, and manage to make every scene stand on its own merit. The pacing is snappy and crisp with very little lag between scenes. Initially I found the idea of a three-hour play somewhat daunting, but not to worry. Stuff Happens is riveting and I could hardly wait for intermission to end and the second act to begin.

If Act One is prologue and build-up, Act Two shows the consequences for our nation, Iraq, and the world. As we know, the coalition disintegrated and the bodies began piling up. In the final speech of the play, an Iraqi exile questions why only the number of American dead is counted and not the number of Iraqis as well. This is a question that has been asked repeatedly, but never answered satisfactorily. It is only one of many questions that are raised by viewing Stuff Happens. I wonder why it has taken a British playwright to raise them while the media and the United States Congress have often seemed unable to examine these same issues and events.  The play ends in 2004 with the war continuing, the death count rising, and the leaders looking very somber. Two years later, the war continues, the death count rises, and the leaders look somber. Those circumstances haven't changed, but there may be some hope. On Election Day, the Democrats won control of both houses of Congress. On November 8, 2006, Donald Rumsfeld resigned.  Stuff happens. 

Photo Credits:

1) Steven M. Key as Colin Powell, Cheryl Singleton as Condoleeza Rice, Robert Bonotto as Tony Blair, Harold Whitee as President George W. Bush, Peter Brown as Donald Rumsfeld and James Bodge as Dick Cheney (photo by Joel W. Benjamin)

2) James Bodge, Harold Whitee and Brian Quint as Speaker of the House (photo by Richard Hall/Silverline Images)

3) Peter Brown as Donald Rumsfeld with members of the ensemble as the press corps (photo by Richard Hall/Silverline Images)

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