MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE

Directed by Jonathan Kane
Taken from the writings of Rachel Corrie
Edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner
Performed by Charlotte Hemmings

Lynn Redgrave Theater, Culture Project, Inc.
45 Bleecker Street
April 2-12

On March 16, 2003, Rachel Corrie, a twenty-three-year-old American, was killed in Gaza as she was trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home. MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE is a one-woman play composed from Rachel’s own journals, letters and emails, edited together by Alan Rickman (better known as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies) and Katherine Viner (Editor in Chief of The Guardian in the US).

No matter what the subject matter is, there is no easy way for one single person to hold an audiences’ attention for 90 minutes. With very little changing of the set or costumes or lighting, it is incumbent on the actress to create variety in a one-woman show. Unfortunately, in this production of MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE, neither the actress nor the direction have much variety. Every diary entry, email or phone message is told with the same energy, volume and pacing. What should build dramatically to a heartbreaking finale merely goes to the obvious conclusion and finishes with a sense of relief that it is over.

It’s really too bad, because the subject matter is important, and the show should lead to much discussion, but the drama completely fails to inspire.

- Jean Tait -