We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884–1915
| We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884–1915 | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Jackie Sibblies Drury |
| Date premiered | 2012 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Drama, comedy |
We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884–1915 is a 2012 comeda/drama play by the American playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury.[1][2][3]
Plot
The play is a comedic dramatization of the largely forgotten Herero and Namaqua genocide which took place in Namibia between 1904 and 1907 when the region was a German colony, after Germany confiscated tribal lands and the Herero people rebelled. The retribution over four years by German soldiers resulted in more than 65,000 deaths. The play deals with the enormity of this story by introducing it through the actors of a "presentation" which is intended to tell the story, and shows how the various players respond to the gruesome facts during first rehearsal.
Performances and reception
The play was read at the Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago in April 2012 as part of that city's Ignition Festival of New Plays.[4] It was first performed at the off-Broadway Soho Repertory Theatre in New York between November 15 and December 2, 2012.[1] Its European premiere was at the Bush Theater in London between February 28 and April 12, 2014.[2][5] Other performances have included The Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles[3] where the cast was nominated for an Ovation Award in 2013, in Washington, DC,[6] and in Boston.[7]
The play received mixed reviews, mainly because of its attempted reach. Said one critic, "[The play] falters a bit in its cathartic stretch, but the work accomplishes something signally important: In recalling a traumatic chapter of African history, it magnifies the biases and conflicts that are inextricably part of the act of remembrance itself."[3]
References
- 1 2 Isherwood, Charles (November 16, 2012). "Acting Out a Blood Bath Brings Dangers of Its Own". The New York Times.
- 1 2 Billington, Michael (5 March 2014). "We Are Proud to Present… review – 'A Pirandellian take on a little-known genocide'". Retrieved 24 October 2016 – via The Guardian.
- 1 2 3 McNulty, Charles (11 June 2013). "Theater review: 'We Are Proud to Present' and a time of genocide". Retrieved 24 October 2016 – via LA Times.
- ↑ "A history of genocide, as told by imperfect actors". Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ↑ Bush Theatre feature, Retrieved November 11, 2016
- ↑ Pressley, Nelson (February 7, 2014). "'We Are Proud to Present. . .' becomes calling card for playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury". The Washington Post.
- ↑ Goodwin, Jeremy (January 10, 2014). "'We Are Proud': When history is written in a rehearsal room". Boston Globe. Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC. Retrieved 11 November 2016.