directed by nicolas kent and indhu rubasingham
limited season | roda theatre
october 22–november 7, 2010
west coast premiere
Running times:
Part One—2 hours and 5 minutes
Part Two—2 hours and 30 minutes
Part Three—2 hours and 30 minutes
(all parts include one 15 minute intermission)
the plays
Whether you know it or not, you’re part of The Great Game. A sweeping cycle of short scripts by 12 top playwrights, this unprecedented show explores Afghanistan over the last 150 years. Direct from London, where it debuted to rave reviews, The Great Game makes its West Coast premiere at Berkeley Rep. It’s a captivating collection of stories performed by Britain’s finest actors. Presented in three parts—on different days or in one impassioned marathon—The Great Game explores the eternal struggle to control Central Asia. World powers and warlords, diplomats and activists, opium farmers and ordinary people…all of them tangle with the tribes and traditions of Afghanistan. It’s an emotional event that illuminates the complex culture of another land.
See one part or see them all. See them in any order—or as part of an impressive marathon. Get into The Game!
Part One: Invasions & Independence (1842–1929)
- The saga begins with Bugles at the Gate of Jalalabad by Stephen Jeffreys. After a devastating defeat, four British soldiers struggle with passionate questions about their purpose in a distant land: Are they following God’s will? Spreading civilization? Or just following orders? Then, in Durand’s Line by Ron Hutchinson, a British diplomat and the amir of Afghanistan engage in a stunning duel of wits. Can the simple act of drawing lines on a map impose order on a “lawless” culture? Or is it folly to forge a nation from competing tribes? Finally, Campaign by Amit Gupta and Now is the Time by Joy Wilkinson examine the legacy of Afghanistan’s first president. Can one man with a glorious vision throw off British rule and create a secular democracy? Or will warlords enforce a new agenda? Questions that haunted history in 1842 continue to resonate in ways we can’t help but hear today.
Part Two: Communism, the Mujahideen and the Taliban (1980–1996)
- A pair of provocative plays, David Edgar’s Black Tulips and Lee Blessing’s Wood for the Fire, burn up the stage when Soviet troops enter Afghanistan. Are the Russians invited guests or invaders? Who is the actual enemy, and where do they get their weapons? As victory proves elusive, the mission—and the meaning of success—must be redefined. Then, in Miniskirts of Kabul by David Greig, a journalist interviews the country’s deposed Communist leader. Their hilarious and horrific conversation covers everything from hemlines to the Kremlin as the Taliban lay siege to the capital. Finally, in The Lion of Kabul by Colin Teevan, two men hired by the United Nations disappear—and only a midnight meeting can reveal their fate. Two decades of turmoil ignite your curiosity and compassion in this thrilling series of shows.
Part Three: Enduring Freedom (1996–2009)
- America blithely rides an economic boom in Ben Ockrent’s Honey as an anxious CIA operative tries to buy back missiles that landed in the hands of militants. Next, in The Night is Darkest before the Dawn by Abi Morgan, a teacher invites girls to a free school—but fearful families of poppy farmers recall all too well the harsh justice of the Taliban. In On the Side of the Angels by Richard Bean, employees of a British nonprofit struggle to retain their integrity while raising funds at home and brokering deals abroad. Then Simon Stephens’ Canopy of Stars captures a soldier in two intense encounters: one with a buddy before battle and the other when he returns to his wife. Has anything changed? What have we learned? The Great Game goes on in Afghanistan, yet the conclusions are up to you.
the players
A dozen prominent playwrights from Britain and America contributed to this epic: Richard Bean, Lee Blessing, David Edgar, David Greig, Amit Gupta, Ron Hutchinson, Stephen Jeffreys, Abi Morgan, Ben Ockrent, Simon Stephens, Colin Teevan, Naomi Wallace and Joy Wilkinson.
Nicolas Kent, artistic director of the Tricycle Theatre, has earned highest honors from the British press: the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement and the Evening Standard Award for Pioneering Political Theatre.
Indhu Rubasingham has directed on Britain’s most respected stages, including the Gate Theatre, the National Theatre, the Royal Court and the Young Vic.
the buzz
“The Great Game: Afghanistan is one of the theatrical events of the season…This is no polemic. It’s a timely history lesson, an animated primer to add context to one of the era’s most pressing issues. It’s also strikingly staged by Tricycle director Nicolas Kent, who created the project, and co-director Indhu Rubasingham…Jemma Redgrave, of the great English acting dynasty, is riveting…It’s performed by 14 fine actors in three parts, separately or in all-day weekend marathons. Go for the marathon.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“A masterwork…A stunning, epic look at Afghanistan’s turbulent history…This complex and engaging play, directed by Nicholas Kent and Indhu Rubasingham, will give you a better understanding of the situation in Afghanistan and how we got there. But not to be overlooked is the wonderful theatrical ride that is provided by just 13 actors performing a multitude of characters in the plays and scenes that make up the work.”—San Jose Mercury News / Bay Area News Group
“The war in Afghanistan as you’ve never seen it”—Napa Valley Register
multimedia
PRINT: Trust Me, I’m An Expert
This anthology of essays from six distinguished writers explores the many ways we explain our culture and portray other societies while illuminating our most pressing concerns. Trust Me, I’m An Expert examines a host of issues including: the knowledge necessary to make informed judgments and decisions, how the arts can help us understand conflict, the place of religion in the formation of identity and the nature of expertise itself. Commissioned by the British Council, Trust Me, I’m an Expert is fascinating and thought-provoking.
