Though it may be possible to create a more
controversial subject for a
play, I certainly
couldn't do so myself. That's why the world needs
people like Steven
DeVries, the writer who founded
Le Theatre du Blaspheme in August 2002 to showcase this play and
other, similarly "blasphemous" works. On the subject of this
blasphemy, DeVries says,
'Blaspheme' is used in a broader sense, as in irreverently challenging popular notions or ideas
as a whole – not necessarily religion. That said – how some people act on their religious beliefs
might come up for question. The name isn’t to be taken too seriously – it raises eyebrows, gets
attention and was cast in French for that extra measure of pretentiousness.
The play itself is a
quirky,
irreverent look at
suicide bombers and their
motives, presented as both a
comedy and a
musical. The main plot revolves around
disgruntled
newspaper
reporter Steve DeVries, who mysteriously disappears from his home in
New Jersey only
to turn up eight years later outside a
nightclub in
Tel Aviv, wearing "enough
explosives to
hollow out a small mountain." After Steve's unfortunate and untimely demise, his former coworker
Paul Milo decides to uncover the truth behind Steve's bizarre
suicide, and the audience learns
in the end that the truth is stranger than... well, all right, the truth
is fiction, but
it's still quite strange.
The show I saw was at the
Sanford Meisner Theatre in
New York City, and only runs until
March
23, 2003. For the benefit of those unable to see a
live performance, I will do my best to
summarize the play below. If you'd actually like to see the show, step lively, get some tickets
(only $15), and don't read what comes next for fear of
spoilers. (Note: I'm working from
memory,
here, so if I get a few things in the wrong order or leave out some details, be kind.)
The show begins with a visit from Kalif, a singin' suicide bomber who plans to take out the entire
playhouse with his
little red button. After a hilarious musical number dedicated to the death of
the
infidels, Kalif succeeds in blowing himself (and, apparently, the audience) up.
The main plot begins with reporter Paul Milo, who describes the
fate of the late Steve DeVries.
We are given the full story behind Steve's death: before going into the nightclub to detonate his
bomb, Steve stopped outside to
take a leak. Unfortunately a little "splashback" must have
gotten on some wires, because the bomb went off early, killing only DeVries, who was soon renamed
"The Splashin' Assassin". The aftermath of this
humiliating death was a sharp
decrease in suicide bombings, because no self-respecting bomber wanted to be associated with the
mockery handed to DeVries by various
news media. Paul informs us that he plans on writing a
book about Steve. He then begins his research.
The first stop is with Steve's
widow, Louise Lahive, who returned to her native
England after
her husband's disappearance and subsequent death. After enduring a round of Louise's unsettling
personal questions about his goals and
masturbatory habits, Paul is allowed to begin an
interview of his own. Louise tells him that
she had heard Steve had actually spent time in England after his disappearance, and warns Paul
that she got a letter from someone else who wanted to write about "The Splashin' Assassin," so
he'd best be on the lookout for
competition. The letter contains a means for Louise to contact
this other writer, Mr. X, but she never does. However, Paul decides it would be in his best
interest to meet with this man, and so he does.
At their meeting in a
pub, Mr. X wows Paul with his detailed knowledge of Steve's life, and
claims to have nearly completed the first draft of his book. Crestfallen, Paul says
he
might as well give up, since Mr. X is obviously going to beat him to the punch. However, Mr. X
tells Paul that his life has been threatened, and that he is nervous about continuing work on the
story. He also says that one key witness refuses to meet with him. Because of this, the two decide
to work together, splitting the profits and publishing under Paul's name to protect Mr. X from any
other threats.
With this knowledge, Paul heads off to visit Roberta Brown, the woman Mr. X was unable to
interview. She's a
wacky British psychic who now gives "sexy psychic
stock tips" over the
phone as part of her new job with Corporate Capital
Bank. After dealing with her apparent
insanity, Paul is finally able to get her to talk about the "
stupid Pakis" who often
met in the
alley beside her building to
pray. She mentions their leader, a man known only as
The Djin, and the fact that she knows his real name: Nasser Mohammed. Paul takes note of
this as well as a few other scraps of information that she provides, then quickly vacates the
premises.
Meanwhile, Steve DeVries is happily enjoying fundamentalist Islam
heaven -- until Kalif shows up.
Kalif, the singing bomber from the start of the show, also finds his way to heaven and is thrilled
until he meets Steve. After overcoming the initial confusion of waking after death, Kalif notices
a sign posted that reads, "
half-assed martyrs heaven." He is enraged, saying that he is
no half-assed martyr and that "The Splashin' Assassin" has ruined suicide bombing for everybody.
He goes off to take solace in his 72
virgins, though Steve warns him that it's impossible
to satisfy 72 women at once, saying that he told his own virgins to
get lost.
Back on earth, Paul Milo again contacts the mysterious Mr. X to inform him of the new information
he gained from interviewing Ms. Brown. When Mr. X learns that Paul knows the true identity of The
Djin, he seems distressed, and leaves shortly after autographing the manuscript that they have
shared. Paul reads the autograph -- it's signed Nasser Mohammed! -- and Mr. X promptly blows up
the pub, suicide-style.
Having ascended to heaven, The Djin meets up with Steve the Half-Assed Martyr. They greet each
other as old friends, for it was the Djin who trained Steve in the
arts of suicide bombing.
Meanwhile, Kalif returns covered in
lipstick prints with his clothes all tattered, saying that
his 72 virgins could not be satisfied and turned into "
fucking dykes . . . I
had to slaughter them like
lambs." Kalif is furious with Steve, saying that the lesbian
virgins of half-assed martyr's heaven are his fault, but The Djin is less concerned, stating that
he will build himself a
palace befitting his greatness to prove that he, at least, is not
half-assed.
Of course, in order for The Djin to build a palace, he'll need
workers and materials, but
he has no way of getting them without
money. Luckily, he's able to contact psychic banker
Roberta Brown, who now heads Corporate Capital Bank's
interdimensional banking program! Using
his 72 virgins and some
gold kitchenware as
collateral, he takes out a
loan and begins
production on his discorporeal dream house. Steve mocks Kalif for
slaughtering his
collateral like lambs. It turns out that he and The Djin were
in cahoots, planning all along to
take over heaven with good old American
capitalism, and Steve made the "half-assed martyrs heaven"
sign in order to inspire
palace envy in the other martyrs, forcing them to take out loans to
compete with The Djin.
The play ends with a musical Corporate Capital Bank
commerical.
Steve DeVries Goes to Fundamentalist Islam Heaven is unique in that it manages to make fun
of
Muslim terrorists and the
American Way, all at the same time! It is true that most of
the content can be
offensive to almost everyone, but DeVries's work also provides a fresh
viewpoint on a
sensitive subject, and reminds us all to
keep our sense of humor.
Info taken from http://www.freewebs.com/blaspheme/