If there ever was a time for modern political plays, it’s now. Between Wikileaks and the Occupy: Movement, people have been stepping out of the shadows, fighting for what they believe in. Therefore, it only makes sense that some playwright would be inspired by all of the headlines and news coverage and everything else surrounding these things. London will hold the European premier of “Man in the Middle,” a play about Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder. A previous iteration, “Stainless Steel Rat” premiered in Sydney last year. The concept is a fairly simple one: a film director tries to film a biopic about Assange. Ron Elisha, the playwright, is maintaining the relevancy of his script by updating it with more information and details before the London premier, hence the name change. Elisha obviously finds Assange and Wikileaks fascinating, and is doing his part to ensure that the rest of the world is able to have a different outlet of keeping up to date beyond the news.
In a time where political movements and people fighting for rights has become even more common – see: headlines from around the world – focusing on one movement and what it has to say, and teaching more people about it in a more accessible way, is something that shouldn’t be surprising to us. Every production wants to tell a meaningful, relatable story. This is one that is so currently and relevant that it cannot but help discussions about the world at large. I admire Elisha for taking on such a politically powerful topic. Not everyone would want to tackle something of this nature, especially when people of political importance – Obama, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, and Australian prime minister Julia Guillard – are portrayed. At this moment, when everyone seems to be wanting a better world, plays like this are so much more important for the world to have. There is no hiding what is being fought for. Instead, there are just more reasons for people to work for a better world.
Now the only question is when a play about the Occupy Movement will be produced.
