Play "An Interview with Gaddafi" in theatre now

[Magda Hassan]

Play "An Interview with Gaddafi" in theatre now

By World Mathaba When anti-Gaddafi news outlet Libya Herald spoke out against a new play called "An Interview with Gaddafi" last Sunday, I started to suspect that we actually might have something good here. When I subsequently noticed some social media users calling on "all thuwar* in and around London" to rise up against it, I began to think that this play actually might be amazing. So far my expectations seem realistic.
"An Interview with Gaddafi", written by author, political journalist and campaigner Reggie Adams, currently runs at London's Waterloo East Theater. The theatre's website describes the play as:
The story of the journalist who risked everything to try and expose the truth behind the change in the 2011 Libyan regime.
This dramatisation based on real events from the Libyan regime change are told through the eyes of the fictitious veteran journalist Bellamy Johan who takes us on an emotional bumpy journey behind the scenes of the inner workings of the mainstream media making us question what we thought we knew about democracy, capitalism, global finance and political spin.
It is quite hard to express one's thoughts toward the play without having seen it (yet), but it is safe to assume that "An Interview with Gaddafi" already has tempted many to question the way the overthrow of the Libyan Jamahiriya (meaning government by the people) was portrayed in the western media, which also seems to be its main purpose. Here is a roundup of some of the responses in the media:

• A must see by all The Arab British Centre
  
• …a piece of political writing by someone who clearly cares about his subject The Stage
  
• The effort by four actors to deliver an intricate, fast-paced script for two hours was remarkable Everything Theatre
  
• Can we believe all that we are told? Is telling the truth about a situation people should be aware of considered a hinderance? How far are we prepared to go to PROVE ones self? These are a few of the questions you ask yourself throughout and after this thought provoking piece of theatre. ... It is truly a story with a political message. West End Wilma
  
• Reggie Adams is clearly a passionate and committed writer and campaigner - What's On Stage
  
• In all honestly, walking up to the Waterloo East Theatre I had no expectations of this production, but minutes into the play I was completely blown away by the power of the words written by Adams on subjects many prefer not to discuss or deal with. The Arab British Centre
  

After outright propaganda pieces such as Jehad Nga's "The Green Book Project", not even to mention Annick Cojean's "Gaddafi's harem" which blatantly turns Africa's hero into Africa's brutal sex-addicted mass rapist, "An Interview with Gaddafi" at least can be called a refreshing piece that dares to go where not many have gone after NATO's "humanitarian" war on Libya.
The only point of criticism I have so far is that the end of the play could have done the Libyan leader a little bit more justice. According to the Libya Herald article, in the penultimate scene of the play, the character of Gaddafi says: "Forces have conspired against my country…for 40 years I fought for my people. I liberated the country from imperialists. I have failed in this regard, I have failed the people", and while being dragged away by his female bodyguard, he shouts out: "Capitalism will triumph over democracy!"
A little better understanding of what the Jamahiriya government really was about, likely would have led to the conclusion that there was no possibility of failing the people, as since the Sebha Declaration of March 2, 1977, the people themselves were exercising power through popular congresses, popular committees, professional trade unions and the General People's Congress. Meanwhile a little better understanding of Muammar Gaddafi himself likely would not have led to the baffled cry about capitalism triumphing over democracy.
I myself therefore would have finished the script with the words from one of Gaddafi's last speeches, a few months before his death:
"I tell the coward crusaders, I live in a place where you can't get to and kill me. I live in the hearts of millions."
But that may be a bit too much for the layman viewer.
___________________________________________

An Interview with Gaddafi by Reggie Adams
Cast : Jonathan Hansler, Walles Hamonde, Christianne Oliveira, Andrew Lawden
Waterloo East Theatre, Brad Street London SE1 8TN
June 3-29, show time Tues to Sat at 7.30pm; Sun at 4pm
___________________________________________

*thuwar or thwar (ثوار): literally "revolutionaries" in Arabic language. one of the names of the Libyan rebels during the 2011 uprising

June 14, 2014 15:42 (UTC) Written by World Mathaba (Updated: June 14, 2014 20:01)