BackstageWest.com
Southern CA April 16, 2003

Liberation

Reviewed By Kristina Mannion

Politics, money, religion, power. The forces and circumstances that lead men to war are many and varied. But the devastating human cost of war never changes. That's the stark and visceral truth that's communicated in this Steve Patterson drama, which reminds us of the terrible atrocities committed during the early 1990s war in Bosnia. Set in the offices of a barely operating Sarajevo newspaper, Patterson's tension-filled script focuses on the plight of the paper's employees: a multi-ethnic group that risks life and limb on a daily basis in pursuit of maintaining a free press. Increasingly hampered by the encroaching Serbs, the band of hardscrabble journalists faces an even greater challenge when a Serb army deserter and his sister seek asylum in the offices in exchange for his revelation of war crimes committed by the army. The resulting dilemma--as the editors attempt to bargain with the wary soldier and the Serb forces close in on the building in search of the deserter--presents a candid, brutal depiction of the horrific Yugoslav crisis.

Although it suffers from a shaky start and a somewhat unpolished feel, this Rude Guerrilla production nevertheless
offers a compelling rendition of Patterson's work. Fully embracing the play's unflinching detail, director Jody J. Reeves and her ensemble create an edgy atmosphere that ticks inexorably toward the script's violent, tragic conclusion. In the end, this honest staging appropriately forces us to ponder the consequences of war on a human level rather than through a narrow lens colored by political or other motivations. Despite some miscues and overlapped lines, which are most notable in the opening scenes, the nine-member cast largely delivers the right amount of intensity for this harrowing story. Turning in the most effective portrayals are Deborah Conroy as assertive lead editor Vedrana, and Justin L. Waggle, who plays Tuna, the belligerent deserter. Both display skill at subtly underscoring their characters' internal turmoil. Waggle is especially moving in the final explosive scenes, as Tuna's hard shell cracks and the pain of having participated in the army's brutal ethnic "cleansing" begins to take its toll. Also noteworthy is Andrew Nienaber's passionate depiction of an angry but heroic press operator. Adding further impact to the proceedings, Reeves and her skilled technical crew incorporate several visual elements that turn Patterson's tragedy into a realistic nightmare. The ultimate mix of lighting, props, choreography, and other staging elements combine to create a powerful experience.