REVIEW: 'The Things They Carried' review: One-man show recalls Vietnam with words, sounds
Pioneer Press
by Renee Valois
March 17, 2014
As the Vietnam War recedes in time, the shadow it casts gets longer -- and its shape changes. Men who felt rejected for fighting in the war in the 1960s are today asked to rise and receive applause for serving (as with the audience of this show).
But lest we forget the core of the war, "The Things They Carried" at History Theatre brings us back to the fear, the death, the courage -- and the lasting repercussions of guilt over killing other men and surviving when your buddies didn't.
Since the musings of the narrator of Tim O'Brien's 1990 book are more critical than re-enacting his memories, Jim Stowell's adaptation as a one-person show makes sense. Stowell places the narrator (Tim) in the present day -- more than 40 years after the war instead of 20 -- and veteran actor Stephen D'Ambrose is the right man for the job, with a thoughtful manner and the ability to shift between accents and styles of voice to convey different characters as he spins his stories.
Stowell's adaptation lifts much of the script directly from the book, but he rearranges things a bit -- much as O'Brien did in his non-linear telling. Those who've read "The Things They Carried" may be pleased by the faithfulness to the book or disappointed that the script seems almost like a reading versus a large-scale production.
Director Leah Cooper gives D'Ambrose a bit of writerly business to do as he recalls his time in Vietnam -- he repeats key phrases and then writes them in a notebook, flipping pages back and forth as if he's embellishing on words he has previously written.
But most of the action takes place in the mind's eye of the audience, as D'Ambrose sets a scene with words and the help of sounds that evoke place, from a jungle in Vietnam to the northwoods of Minnesota.
The story of O'Brien's distraught waffling between whether he should run to Canada or go to Vietnam to face death may resonate most with Minnesotans -- because Tim drives north and stays at the Tip Top Lodge near International Falls, trying to make up his mind. The elderly proprietor, Elroy Berdahl, "saved" him, Tim says, with his stoic silence and nonjudgmental witness. The poignant story captures an archetypal Minnesotan and the power of a place to affect our perspective.
Tim talks about his buddies in Vietnam, especially his best friend, Kiowa, who tries to get Tim to talk when tragedy makes him shut down. We get snippets of memories and details about Rat Kiley, constantly tranquilized Ted Lavender and Azar, whose pranks could become cruel.
We don't know how much of the stories are factual versus fictionalized, but they aim to reveal truth -- and keep alive long-gone friends. As O'Brien says, "Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story."
Although the other History Theatre show running in repertory with this one, "Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq," has a far different aim -- to expose the reality of a recent war in an effort to compel reforms -- both shows demonstrate the power of theater to open conversations about war that could lead to a better world.
What: "The Things They Carried"
Where: History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul
When: Through April 6
Tickets: $32-40; senior/student discounts
Information: 651-292-4323; HistoryTheatre.com
Capsule: One man's vivid memories of Vietnam and its personal impact.
REVIEW: 'Lonely Soldiers' Review: Play highlights hell of being a woman at war
Pioneer Press
by Renee Valois
March 17, 2014
This is powerful stuff. It's theater that begs for real change.
"Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq" at History Theatre follows the paths of seven women of diverse backgrounds who ended up in Iraq. It's based on accounts from interviews playwright Helen Benedict conducted that appeared in her 2009 nonfiction book. It's packed with incidents of hope and fury, outrage and grief.
Women were deployed in combat positions for the first time during the Iraq war, but some of the toughest battles those female soldiers faced were with the men who were supposed to have their backs. As one woman says, military men categorize them as "bitches, ho's or dykes." That's it. There are no other options. And they get treated accordingly.
We discover that some women enlisted to escape tragedies at home, while others wanted to serve their country or help others. None encountered what they expected, and all came home changed in drastic and terrible ways.
Jamecia Bennett stands out as an experienced soldier who isn't afraid to tell the officers they're screwing up. She speaks for the kids -- several of the women are just 17 and were too young to sign up without the consent of their parents.
In the case of one innocent Christian teen played by Tamara Clark, her religious mother actually pushed her to join in order to proselytize her fellow soldiers. Their ignorance is shattering.
The women's worst ordeals come about as a result of the military's policies and attitudes -- which put them in more danger from American men than from the Iraqis. Women are constantly harassed and worse. Dawn Brodey conveys the agony of a soldier who learns her rape will be silenced (and blamed on her) by those in command.
Through Rhiana Yazzie, Shana Berg, Meghan Kreidler and Hope Cervantes, we also meet an American Indian who sees similarities between traditional Iraqi culture and her own and decries America's destruction of Iraq; we learn that military "love" is convenient, not lasting; and we see the long-term aftereffects of the war on soldiers who have trouble returning to civilian life. Santino Craven, an Iraq war veteran, takes on all of the male roles in the production.
Director Austene Van keeps the show moving like a series of stabbings that make you want to do more than bind up the wounds. This production prods us to find a way to prevent the physical and mental assaults military women have endured from all sides.
"The Things They Carried," which is running in repertory with this show, conveys some of the hell of war, but this show exposes the agony of more recent wounds that have not healed. It drives us toward reform, in the world of war and beyond.
What: "Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq"
Where: History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul
When: Through April 6
Tickets: $32-40; senior/student discounts
Information: 651-292-4323; HistoryTheatre.com
Capsule: Powerful, devastating and illuminating
ARTICLE: History Theatre looks at war on two fronts
Pioneer Press
by Mary Ann Grossman
March 13, 2014
A young soldier tries to make sense of the war he's fighting in Vietnam's jungles. More than 30 years later, seven women soldiers are battle-tested on the sands of Iraq. These characters come to life in History Theatre's productions of "The Things They Carried" and "Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq."
"We thought it would be interesting to put the era of the draft and the era of the volunteer professional Army back-to-back," said Ron Peluso, History Theatre artistic director.
"The Things They Carried," which begins a world premiere run at 8 p.m. Saturday, is Jim Stowell's adaptation of Minnesota native Tim O'Brien's short story collection. The one-man show features actor Stephen D'Ambrose portraying O'Brien, who is both author and a character in the book that has sold more than 3 million copies and is taught in high schools and colleges around the country.
O'Brien, who was a "grunt" with Alpha Company in 1969-70, tells often-surreal stories. He was striving for a literary form that would help readers understand the hallucinatory experience of fighting a war in which there were no battle lines, the enemy could disappear into the terrain and nobody was sure what they were fighting about.
Peluso said O'Brien's vivid writing and the way his narrative moves back and forth in time make "The Things They Carried" theatrical.
"Jim (Stowell) picked important moments out of the book," he said, "from the time Tim was drafted out of Macalester and had to make a decision to stay or go into the service. That's a major piece of this production. Then there's his journey, a lot about his insight dealing with his fellow soldiers, loss of best friends."
Only men were allowed on front lines in Vietnam, but by 2006 more than 190,000 women soldiers had served in the Middle East. Most were sent to Iraq, where 102 of them died.
Helen Benedict, award-winning playwright, author and journalism professor, interviewed women soldiers for her 2009 book, "The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq," which she adapted for a production that ran briefly off-Broadway in New York several years ago. History Theatre is giving the play its regional premiere.
In the show, which opens at 2 p.m. Sunday, the women soldiers speak of their experiences on the battlefield and in the barracks, and of their personal journeys toward recovery and justice.
One of the things these women faced was sexual assault. Peluso points out that media coverage and public awareness of this previously hidden topic makes Benedict's play as important now as when her book was published.
"Literally every word in the play comes directly from the mouths of the soldiers Helen interviewed," Peluso said. "In our agreement, Helen stipulated we could not change words. That was a great idea. The women's words are so stark, powerful and blunt, they give new insight into what they were dealing with."
What: History Theatre presents "The Things They Carried" and "Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq"
When/where: March 15-April 6; History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul
Tickets: $40-$15
Information: historytheatre.com; box office 651-292-4323
History Theatre is surrounding these productions with educational opportunities, including downloadable play guides.
March 16 -- Helen Benedict talks about researching and writing her book and play after the premiere of "Lonely Soldiers."
March 22 -- Women in War workshop explores sexual harassment, violence and trauma in the military, curated by World Without Genocide and History Theatre. 10:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m., preceding 2 p.m. "Lonely Soldiers" performance. Tickets are $40, $25 for students; registration required by Thursday. Information: admin@worldwithoutgenocide.org or 651-695-7621.
March 23 -- Jim Stowell and Stephen D'Ambrose discuss adapting O'Brien's book as a one-man show after the 2 p.m. performance of "The Things They Carried."
March 30 -- "Lonely Soldiers" cast is joined by women veterans of the Iraq war for a discussion following 2 p.m. performance.
April 6 -- Panel discussion on post-traumatic stress disorder, including a therapist specializing in veterans' issues, a peer support advocate and Vietnam War veterans after the 2 p.m. performance of "The Things They Carried."
REVIEW: 'The Things They Carried' is a Vietnam-era soldier's somber look at war
Special to the Star Tribune
by John Townsend
March 17, 2014
Stephen D’Ambrose is superb in an emotional one-man show based on the Vietnam-era stories of Tim O’Brien.
Minnesota native Tim O’Brien is a preeminent author of the Vietnam experience. His semi-autobiographical story collection, “The Things We Carried,” portrays a platoon under constant deadly threat and the emotional struggles that spring from that.
Jim Stowell has adapted the stories into a one-character play featuring Stephen D’Ambrose which opened Saturday at the History Theatre in St. Paul. It runs in repertory with “Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq” by Helen Benedict.
O’Brien’s title refers to the various items that soldiers carry while on their mission. Both necessity and superstition determine those items, ranging from canteens of water, can openers, and mosquito repellent to a rabbit’s foot, a girlfriend’s pantyhose, and the thumb of a Viet Cong teenager. It also refers to the emotional baggage of men who are viscerally aware that they may very well die.
Stowell’s somber adaptation is shaped into confessional sections that relate to O’Brien’s combat duty, his summer of discontent when he considered defecting to Canada, and wrestling with guilt over surviving while others on both sides of the conflict perished. There are luminous descriptions of nature from Vietnam to the Minnesota/Canadian border. And poetically graphic descriptions of violence — blood spread across a shirt, missing limbs, the “dainty” look of a young dead man.
D’Ambrose is superb. He probes the psyche of a man at odds with the manly duty expected of him with courageous vulnerability. The desecration of a mutilated Vietnamese corpse by his fellow soldiers repulses O’Brien and he does not take part, but he must be loyal to his comrades despite their coarse behavior.
Director Leah Cooper has ably guided the play’s various dimensions so that as melancholy as the general tone is, there is vivid contrast. In one sequence a youthful O’Brien
takes off in his car from his hometown of Worthington, Minn., toward Canada. He ends up spending time with an intuitive elderly man on the Minnesota side of the border. The man has a way of drawing out O’Brien’s darkest fears. It’s a poignant look into the anxiety of a youth torn between resisting the draft and resisting the disgrace that defection would bring.
The powerful virtue of Stowell’s adaptation is its unrelenting focus on the way war compels people to devalue the lives and the bodies of the enemy. The play’s most haunting moments reflect O’Brien’s near-obsessive torment over killing a young Vietnamese man with a grenade.
However, in a segment where he remembers the death of a soldier friend, Stowell prolongs the descriptions too much. Drama, like poetry, tends to fare better when fewer words deftly create imagery and don’t linger past their point of impact. This is also exacerbated by D’Ambrose being directed too frequently to write O’Brien’s thoughts in a notebook, breaking the fluidity of his actions and expression.
Sarah Brander’s functional scenic design contrasts an office setting with netting, suggesting a jungle camp. Wu Chen Khoo’s balmy lighting massages the painful memories evoked. Martin Gwinup’s sound design mixes familiar 1960s music with sounds of war.
John Townsend writes about theater.
REVIEW: Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq
Aisle Say Twin Cities
by Liz Byron
March 18, 2014
As a self-identified pacifist and feminist, I was interested in the prospect of hearing women soldier’s perspectives on the war in Iraq. And as I’ll admit that my knowledge of life in the US armed forces is very much limited to major news headlines and Hollywood blockbusters, I was hoping that History Theatre‘s production of Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq would give me some insight as to what it’s really like: why do different women enlist? What are their day-to-day experiences? Would they re-enlist? What happens when they come home? Well, the play certainly delivered, with so much food for thought, I’m still digesting a day later. That said, I’m not sure it’s a great play — but I’ll get to that.
Lonely Soldiers is one of two plays being performed at the History Theatre throughout March. It’s being shown in rotation with The Things They Carried, a one-man show about the Vietnam War. In contrast with Things.., Lonely Soldiers deals with a much more contemporary aspect of the US military. Based on Helen Benedict’s non-fiction book of the same title, Lonely Soldiers tells the stories of multiple women soldiers who served on the frontlines during the early years of the Iraq war.
Starting with the tales of how and why they enlisted — many of them requiring parental waivers for enlisting under the age of 18, and many of them joining as a desperate means of escape from unpleasant living situations — the play goes on to explore their arrivals in Iraq, their day-to-day lives while deployed, the trauma they experienced on the frontlines, and then the struggles they faced returning to life in the USA. Most of their stories are not cheerful ones; the audience hears of sexual harassment and feelings of alienation, and of sexual assault blamed on the victim and covered up by higher-ranking personnel. We hear of confusion as to the goal and the outcome of the Iraq War, poor management, and contradictory orders, not to mention violence, loneliness, and extreme alienation upon returning home.
Under the direction of Austene Van, and following a stage adaptation by the book’s author, the “play” is less a play, and more a series of interwoven monologues. Although the entire cast of 8 is on stage at the same time for the majority of the performance, there is minimal interaction between characters; rather, each soldier takes a turn speaking in the spotlight, while the rest dwell in the background. While the stories all follow roughly the same pattern (enlistment, deployment, return), each soldier’s experience is different, and it’s valuable to hear multiple perspectives. On the other hand, it was occasionally difficult to keep separate characters’ stories straight, and it felt odd to call this a "play” rather than a dramatic reading of a nonfiction book.
A colleague once said, while writing a book review of a first-hand account of the Holocaust, “It seems like you shouldn’t critique the writing, when the subject is what’s important.” And yet, it’s frustrating when an important message gets blurred by poor presentation. Lonely Soldiers doesn’t suffer from poor presentation, but theatrically speaking, it isn’t fantastic. But does that matter? Once the house lights came on after the show (an easy 90 minutes, by the way), I had only vague impressions of the staging (quite good), the set (simple, and the better for it), the lighting or costuming (no complaints), or even the acting (good, if uneven; Jameca Bennett as Terris Dewalt-Johnson, Tamara Clark as Clara Henderson, and Rhiana Yazzie as Santiaga Flores gave particularly compelling performances). The vast majority of my thoughts were on the subject matter; wondering how and why the military manages to cover up so much abuse and harassment, wondering how many soldiers in the Iraq War came home with the same negative view of the military and aforementioned war, wondering what it would take for military life to improve for women, and wondering, most of all, how someone could hear any one of these stories and ever want to join the military. I was, in fact, surprised at how anti-war and anti-military this piece was.
Ultimately, this may not be the best piece of drama out there, but it is certainly compelling, and has a lot of important things to say that I believe more people need to hear.
Lonely Soldiers: Women at War in Iraq by Helen Benedict. March 15-April 6, 2014 at the History Theatre, 30 E 10th St, St Paul, MN. Recommended ages 16+. Tickets $32-40; $2 off for 60+, $15 for students, and discount rates available for groups of 12 or more — at (651) 292-4323 or https://www.historytheatre.com/tickets (Audio described and ASL-interpreted performances on March 29).