My Name is Rachel Corrie – worth a viewing
By Karin O’Donnell
I was so looking forward to seeing this play. I had never been to a one-woman (or one-man) production of any kind before, and I was keen to see how only one actor on stage could carry an entire performance. The usual thing is for that actor to portray a range of characters. In My Name is Rachel Corrie, one actor essentially portrays only one character, the real-life person the play is named after.
Rachel Corrie was an American. Growing up in Olympia, Washington, with a brother and sister, the young Rachel developed a refined sense of justice. This was eventually to lead her to Palestine, where she was killed trying to prevent an Israeli bulldozer from destroying the home of a Palestinian family.
A prolific writer, Rachel left behind her a huge amount of writings and emails. She documented everything, which was fortunate when the idea for the play came about. Edited by well-known British actor Alan Rickman and writer Katharine Viner of The Guardian, Rachel’s own words have been taken and used to document the progression of her life.
The play is brilliant. I found it engrossing, gripping, all-encompassing. The one-woman format works so well – probably better even than a full cast. While it is a monologue in the sense that virtually all the words are Rachel Corrie’s, the audience is drawn in and included on all levels. I couldn’t help but be interested in what was going to happen next, to hear what Rachel thought about the events unfolding around her, to journey with her and experience some of the moments she described so vividly.
Kate Prior, in the demanding role of Rachel, is excellent. Her American accent is convincing, and she has paced herself well. The first half of the play takes place in Rachel’s home in Olympia. The set, designed by Rita Carmody, enables the viewer to move from Rachel’s bedroom to homes in Palestine without major set changes or upheavals.
My Name is Rachel Corrie (a line from Rachel’s own writing, incidentally) has been directed with care by Lara Macgregor in what must be another feather in her directing cap following the recent sell-out success of The Tutor.
So, is the play sad? Well, yes. As an audience member you have to try to forget that Rachel Corrie was very much a real person. She had parents, she had her brother and sister, friends and acquaintances. Her story is interesting because she was so driven, not only to help and care for the children of Palestine, but because she documented her experiences particularly well. And the world is richer for her having done so.
Is the play political? The first US production was postponed due to possible political implications. There is certainly a political message that cannot be ignored, and a bigger tragedy taking place than the death of one 23-year-old non-violent activist.
One critic has made mention of the abrupt ending. For me, the play ended suddenly but this was more because I was enjoying it so much that I could have sat for another half an hour. However, the ending reflects its writer’s life: Rachel wrote her last words, went out, and was killed.
I loved My Name is Rachel Corrie. I enjoyed every one of the ninety-odd minutes that Kate Prior spent on stage in the persona of Rachel. Like many around me in the audience, I sat, stunned, when the house lights went up. It was moving, it was compelling, it was fascinating.
Go and see it. You won’t be disappointed!
• My Name is Rachel Corrie runs at The Forge at The Court Theatre until 27 June 2009. Book online at www.courttheatre.org.nz.
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