The London performance

I am back from London and over jet lag. The Westminster Theater Company did two shows of the play based on Bikeman, on September 10th, 2009 and September 11th. The moving force was Chris Barton who devised the play using the poem as a script. Chris calls it: 9-11 A Survivor's Tale. And it was moving.

Both nights were sold out in the theater near Westminster Abby. Chris gave spell-binding performances that had the audiences in tears. To me, the parts that I still struggle with when reading them had me struggling in the theater too. But it had the same effect on those around me too.

Where will it go next? That is a good question. Chris would like to bring it to New York at some point. I would like that too of course. It strikes me as interesting that there hasn't been a play about the events of 9-11 in New York, or if there has been one, I am not aware of it.

This play was wonderfully received on tour this summer in South Africa and I can report that it was very wonderfully received in London as well. Why not here in New York?

Is the wound of that day still too raw? Is it a subject that New Yorkers, who are all survivors in effect, still do not want to live through again? Perhaps.

But there will come a time when this play, as emotionally wrenching as it is, will be something that everyone will be able to see. Beyond that, I believe it is a story that all should see.

Time will tell.

You can see a few clips of the play and Chris' wonderful performance on You Tube. The site also includes an interview with me, part of a CBS News production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkUdRwEpQrg

(You may need to cut and paste the address)

London!

I am off to London today for something special. Chris Barton, a British actor and director has taken Bikeman and made it into a play 9-11 A Survivor's Tale. He plays the role of Tom Flynn. Watching someone play you is going to be interesting. It opens tonight in London at Millicent Fawcett Hall at 29 Tufton St. It will be the first time I will see the play but not the first performance. Chris and Dee Shulman, who directs the play, took it to South Africa this summer. It won wonderful reviews.

One newspaper there opened its review this way: "If I only had the space to write a one-word review of this production, that one word would be 'Wow.'" Nice.
You can click on this for the full review:
http://www.weekendpost.co.za/entertainment/article.aspx?id=443238

There will be two performances this time, a special memorial to 9-11. Tonight, Sept. 10th and tomorrow night, Sept. 11th at 7:15 PM. Chris is hoping to bring it to a full production in the future. In addition to the audience at these performances, CBS News London Bureau is planning to shoot the show for a piece to air this coming weekend on either Saturday's Evening News or Sunday's.

I'll be back Sunday and will update my thoughts on the performance then. Stay tuned.