➤ HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, from p.20 ➤ GLAAD ON TV, from p.20
–– for instance, while we see the
young men swig vodka in Édouard’s
fl at, a smug investigator
grills him about the encounter.
Characters often record the action
with smartphones, zooming in on
faces, and the images appear to
be projected in black and white on
the vast white backdrop. I found
myself meticulously comparing
what was happening live onstage
with the video, and I could swear
it didn’t quite synch up.
A lone musician (Thomas Witte)
plays percussion and keyboard
prominently onstage, lending an
eerie soundtrack to the proceedings.
From time to time, the characters
suddenly bust out some
slick dance moves, or a male actor
appears in drag, adding touches
of comic relief. Oh, and I forgot to
mention the dialogue is entirely in
German with English supertitles,
adding another layer of opacity.
Not that this piece is only about
violence and its aftermath. It also
lays bare disturbing themes of
society’s homophobia and racial
bigotry. The health professionals
seem to judge Édouard for coming
in with a bleeding rectum, or
for his request for post-exposure
prophylaxis against HIV. The police
insist on labeling the assailant
a “fucking Arab” even though
he was Kabyle, a very different
people in Algeria. These prejudices
eclipse any genuine concern
for Édouard’s well-being.
As the shattered Édouard,
Laurenz Laufenberg, who bears
a strong resemblance to the reallife
author, possesses a valiant
quality that belies Édouard’s victimhood.
His portrayal uncovers
a deep vein of ambivalence toward
his would-be murderer. Renato
Schuch is perfectly cast as
the hunky, volatile Reda, seamlessly
morphing from enchanting
heartthrob to psychotic villain.
Christoph Gawenda and Alina
Stiegler delve into the multiple
secondary roles with gusto.
Stiegler stands out as the opinionated,
cigarette-addicted Clara
who tries to rewrite history by
claiming the family was always
loving and supportive of Édouard’s
sexual orientation. Édouard
begs to differ.
To be sure, “History of Violence”
exudes an arresting, bruising
honesty that’s not easy to watch.
Between the harsh subject matter,
raw portrayals (there is full
nudity and simulated sex and
violence), challenging framework,
and two-hour intermission-less
running time (absolutely no reentry
allowed), the viewer is expected
to work hard. On the night
I attended, a few folks bolted midperformance,
clomping down the
riser steps and walking in front
of the stage, visibly distraught,
for all to see.
As harrowing as this drama
might be for the theatergoer, it’s
just a taste of the atrocities that
Édouard endured. And is surely
still grappling with today.
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE |
Schaubühne Berlin | St. Ann’s
Warehouse, 45 Water St. at the
Brooklyn Bridge | Nov. 19-23, 26 &
27, 29 & 30 at 7:30 pm; Nov. 23 &
30 and Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.; Nov. 24 at
5 p.m. | $36-$71 at stannswarehouse.
org | Two hrs., no intermission
| Performed in German, with
English supertitles
The remaining nine percent consist
of other races. Those numbers
on cable TV are largely the same.
White LGBTQ characters are
more predominant on streaming
services, making up 55 percent
versus 19 percent black, 15 percent
Latinx, and fi ve percent Asian-Pacifi
c Islander.
The total number of trans and
gender non-binary characters has
increased from 26 to 38, including
21 trans women, 12 trans men,
and fi ve non-binary individuals.
Among the trans characters 18
percent are played by cisgender actors,
at a time when many in the
trans community have questioned
whether that is appropriate.
GLAAD, citing polling that 20
percent of Americans 18 to 34
identify as LGBTQ, is asking the
industry to make more gains in
years to come. The group hopes to
see LGBTQ characters make up 20
percent of series regulars on primetime
scripted broadcast series by
2025, and asks that all platforms
make sure half of LGBTQ characters
are people of color.
They count on you,
So count on us to
keep you going.
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