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“My Name is Rachel Corrie” staging in Toronto

Canadian Dimension, May 19th, 2008

* Please Post Widely * Limited number of seats available! In 2003 American activist, Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer. She was 23 years old. Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner edited Rachel’s diaries and emails turning them into a play, “My Name Is Rachel Corrie”. The play was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in London where it played to sold out audiences and wide acclaim. Subsequent attempts to mount the play have met with stiff resistance from supporters of Israeli apartheid - including a year ago when a scheduled production at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts was pulled.

Freedom of speech will not be silenced, and so it is that My Name Is Rachel Corrie has found a home at the Tarragon Extra Space. The play will be running from May 29-June 22. In a show of support for freedom of speech and resistance, CAIA has booked the opening preview, Thursday May 29th. We invite all our friends to join us at: Tarragon Extra Space 30 Bridgman Avenue.

Showtime: 8:00 pm

Tickets are $20 and are available at:
Toronto Women’s Bookstore
73 Harbord Street
416-922-8744

Canadian Dimension Matthew Brett is the Canadian Dimension weblog editor and a Montreal-based journalist at a weekly newspaper. Read other posts by Canadian Dimension.

6 Comments

  1. Comment by HUGH on May 21st, 2008 at 11:32 am:

    Sounds like fun, if you want to enjoy an evening of jihadist agitation propaganda.

    Here’s an interesting review of the play by Mark Steyn.

    http://www.solomonia.com/blog/archive/2008/03/earnest-ignorance-my-name-is-rachel-corr/index.shtml

    “…Remember that name — the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). You’ll have to, because it’s never mentioned in the show. Not once. That’s the name of the group that helped Rachel Corrie lie her way into Israel (understandably, the Israelis are not pleased with young people coming from abroad and intentionally putting themselves and others in danger on behalf of those who would like to dismantle the Jewish State), snuck her into Gaza, trained her to put her life at risk, gave her assignments, taught her how to deal with the media, and most of all to never, ever, judge the choices her Palestinian hosts make — from rock throwing to suicide terror — another verboten word….

    …Banal turns pernicious with the first mention of Gaza and her hearing from an old male friend who was a local organizer. Rachel agonizes over the people “on the receiving end” of US military funding and frowns over those being held in US custody as part of the War on Terror. Her “Macy’s balloon” mom is encouraging, and Rachel, now clearly in the hands of the ISM, discusses with her her future plans. She needs names from mom “in case she gets into trouble,” she briefs mom on how to talk to the press (a standard part of ISM training), on what terminology to use. It’s not a hard sell, as mom, we are told, already doesn’t like to use the word “terrorism,” but Rachel says she needs to go further. Mom is willing….

  2. Comment by Caryn Brigs on May 23rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm:

    I saw this play in London and frankly the hype was far better than the production. Sophomoric, poor staging, poorer writing all added up to a production that ought to have been progressive, hard-hitting and a slap in the face to colonial powers. Instead it was a dreary, maudlin exposition of a woman who should have stayed home. I wish I would have.

  3. Comment by Susan MacCarthy on May 25th, 2008 at 4:26 pm:

    Sadly I have to agree with Caryn. Though I saw the play in Edmonton. It did our cause far more harm than good. Maudlin attempts to explain Israeli aggresssion doesn’t wash. Folks don’t waste your time.

  4. Comment by Eric on May 31st, 2008 at 1:44 am:

    Hysterical opposition from Mark Steyn is hardly surprising, especially given the bias of the National Pest against Palestinian rights.

    But Caryn’s and Susan’s comments are puzzling. Maudlin? I’d think it hard to over-dramatize the lives of Palestinians facing bullets and bulldozers. Too bad the London and Edmonton productions weren’t up to your standards, but the Toronto one that previewed on Thursday was energetic and articulate, even if (of course) it couldn’t say everything and perhaps dwelled too long on her pre-activist life.

    More harm than good? This sounds preposterous - do you have another agenda?

    What would you do to publicize the injustice of Corrie’s death — and the suffering of the Palestinians she was trying to protect? Staying home is not going to do it.

  5. Comment by Stephen Mosley on June 8th, 2008 at 8:53 pm:

    I just found out about the play this evening while watching CBC. I remember how much I was moved by her tragic death at the time…when the news came out, and so I wrote a song about her…and the “New World Order Boys”…who I believe were responsible for her “murder”. One of these days I hope to add it to my repertoire, in the meantime I’m planning to attend the play just as soon as I can get tickets. Why didn’t the CBC say anything about it’s cancellation the first time around though? Hmmm!!! War Resisters Unite! And isn’t that Mark Steyn fellow a “piece of work”? God help us all!!!

  6. Comment by Erin Latham on June 18th, 2008 at 6:31 am:

    Regardless of whether or not you agree with what Rachel Corrie did, it is always beneficial to see the point of view of others. A play based upon an individual’s personal journals is rarely going to be able to accurately portray both sides of a story. If you’re looking for that in this, or probably any, play, you’re naive and will be disappointed every time. If you’re looking for a poignant, well-acted performance that may just teach you something, go see the show. And now, you’ll have an increased number of opportunities, because it has been extended for an extra week!

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