'Embedded' with the Enemy

We haven't yet seen much artistic expression emerging from the war on Iraq, but actor Tim Robbins' play, "Embedded," now at New York City's Public Theatre, gets this inevitable genre off to a rollicking start.

Robbins and his partner Susan Sarandon were thrust into the national spotlight last year after the Baseball Hall of Fame cancelled the 15th anniversary celebration of the film "Bull Durham," because of the couple's outspoken views on U.S. policy toward Iraq.

Tim Robbins

As Robbins later told the New York Times' Jason Zinoman, "People have been questioning my patriotism, and that gets your attention. I grew up in the streets of New York, so I think in a survival mode. If you attack me, I'm going to respond."

Fittingly for this prolific actor, producer, director, writer and musician, Robbins' response to his critics came in the form of art. "Embedded" is an anti-war satire that takes the audience on a wild ride that is equal parts creepy and funny. The play is dedicated to the Clash's Joe Strummer, and the noisy, high-energy feel is straight out of the punk era.

"Embedded," which Robbins wrote and directed, premiered Nov. 15, 2003 at the Actors Gang in Los Angeles, where Robbins is artistic director, and played to full houses throughout its run. Its current run at New York's Public Theatre coincides with Robbins' recent Academy Award for best supporting actor for his searing performance in "Mystic River." The actor's portrayal of Dave Boyle, a man suffering profoundly from childhood sexual abuse, is unforgettable.

When I spoke to Robbins at a party at the Sundance Film Festival before the NY opening, he was worried that the play wouldn't get the necessary exposure to have a good run. But the Academy Award took care of that, particularly when he got the chance to mention the play and his Actors Gang buddies to 43.5 million U.S. viewers.

Frightening Laughs

Says Robbins, "Satire should make you laugh and scare the hell out of you."

And scare the play does. The most frightening element of "Embedded" is its cabal of "chickenhawks," the men and one woman who have never been to war, yet send soldiers to invade an oil-rich Middle East country called Gomorrah. This collection of warmongers -- Woof, Pearly White, Dick, Rum-Rum and Gondola - are presented in eerie masks, and pay homage to Leo Strauss, the infamous conservative political philosopher who serves as the godfather of the neocons.

Known for rationalizing the "noble lie for the greater good," Strauss reportedly exerts broad influence over those still firmly in control of the Bush war apparatus. (As Arianna Huffington describes in her new book "Fanatics and Fools" (Miramax), "Strauss had a profound antipathy for liberalism and democracy and a deep mistrust of the people.")

Whether debating which of the various reasons for invading Gomorrah might "get the numbers up," discussing moving the date of the invasion so it doesn't conflict with the National Basketball Association playoffs, or joking how the war made it easy to "dodge the bullet" known as Enron, the rapid-fire dialogue marks the play's best writing.

In the meantime, the viewer experiences a sinking feeling of déjà vu, because based on what we now know about the rationale for invading Iraq, some of the outlandish lunacies articulated by these characters ring true. When the cabal debates when and if to have elections in Gomorrah, one member chortles, "Don't worry, we purged 50,000 voters in the Sunshine State," indicating that Gomorrah will be a walk in the park.

"Embedded" is filled with poignant scenes of troops leaving for war, coming back scarred, and lamenting the indiscriminate killing. The play's Jessica Lynch figure, Private Jen-Jen Ryan, periodically materializes lying on a white bed in center stage, representing one of the play's chief themes: the incredible pain of war combined with the absurdity of its propaganda.