Canadian Artists Mock UN Inaction On Darfur In New Play

[NATO AIR]

nice to see canadian artists muster some outrage in a positive way

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...20040929/WRITERS29/TPEntertainment/TopStories

Play mocks UN inaction on Darfur


By REBECCA CALDWELL
Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - Page R3

Considering the months-long debate by the United Nations Security Council over what to do about the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, it is perhaps not entirely difficult to imagine a UN staffed by puppets or plush toys.

Now, Canadian artists are mixing the stuffed shirts of politicians with stuffed animals on stage in a satirical play that will be performed tonight in six cities across Canada as part of Darfur After Dark, a fundraiser for the Darfur relief effort by Médecins sans frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

The untitled playwas inspired by minutes of the Security Council's July 30 meeting, a 90-minute session spent discussing the prevention of further slaughter of black Sudanese by the roaming militant janjaweed rebels in Darfur.

In the past year and half, a campaign of violence, rape and terror has killed an estimated 50,000 black Sudanese, displaced nearly 1.5 million from their homes and sent an additional 200,000 refugees into neighbouring Chad in what has been called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

"We didn't want to do readings, we wanted to do something more appropriate thematically," said Toronto author David Bezmozgis, who co-organized the event playing off the UN minutes with writer Sheila Heti and film producer Julia Rosenberg. "It's hard to avoid looking at this stuff and not seeing how inherently ridiculous it is. And we also wanted to express the facts in a way that would be entertaining and enjoyable."

For Bezmozgis, at least, the motivation to act was also a personal one. "Having grown up with the history of the Holocaust and the constant question posed by Jews -- which was if people knew what was going on, why didn't people do anything? -- that, to me, implies a very serious moral responsibly." he said. "Thirty years from now, if my children come upon the history of what was happening in Sudan and ask me what I did, I would not like to be able to say I did nothing."

Bezmozgis will host the event in Toronto at the Gladstone Hotel, which sees writers Michael Ondaatje, Ken Babstock, Dionne Brand, theatre director Daniel Brooks, actor Fabrizio Filippo, filmmaker Patricia Rozema and journalist Gerald Caplan acting out the non-puppet roles of UN delegates debating the Sudanese issue.

In St. John's, author Lisa Moore and comedian Mary Walsh are spearheading Newfoundland's Darfur After Dark at the Masonic Temple; Montreal's Pharmacie Esperanza sees Ian Ferrier, Catherine Kidd and others participating in the effort; author Chandra Mayor, performance artist Shawna Dempsey, jazz man Andy Sheppard and others take over the Bulman Centre at the University of Winnipeg; in Calgary, theatre company One Yellow Rabbit's Denise Clarke, writers Suzette Mayr and Julia Gaunce and company host the event at Brew Brothers Restaurant; and in Vancouver, authors Lee Henderson, Michael Turner and Nancy Lee and others take over Anti Social's back-room gallery.

In addition to staging the play, most venues will feature performances by musical guests, have reps from Médecins sans frontières to discuss the situation in Darfur and have a fundraising event, such as Toronto's silent auction of books.

"[We're hoping] to raise awareness, to send a message to the Canadian government -- which in recent days has actually become more vocal, but for a long time they've been silent -- and to communicate to the Canadian government that there are a lot of people in this country who care, and they make it a priority and continue to have it as a priority," Bezmozgis said.

 

[Said1]

In St. John's, author Lisa Moore and comedian Mary Walsh are spearheading Newfoundland's Darfur After Dark at the Masonic Temple;

I would love to see that, those two are hysterical when they team up.

 

[dilloduck]

great!!! Thanks again to our buddies in the northern cooler!

 

[Said1]

great!!! Thanks again to our buddies in the northern cooler!

I'd give an "E" for effort.

 

[NATO AIR]

great!!! Thanks again to our buddies in the northern cooler!

i second... thank you again canadians for standing up for what's right. i'm still pissed about my expos though...

 

[Said1]

i second... thank you again canadians for standing up for what's right. i'm still pissed about my expos though...

The expos....

Why am I laughing, baseball sucks. I watch that when I can't sleep.