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Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them
Christopher Durang has been called "Jonathan Swift's nicer, younger brother" ( The New York Observer ). His plays are known for containing hilarity at every turn and revealing social commentary in every corner. Now collected in Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them and Other Political Plays are Durang's most revealing political and social satires.
Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them tells the story of a young woman in Is her new husband, whom she married when drunk, a terrorist? Or just crazy? Or both? Is her father's hobby of butterfly collecting really a cover for his involvement in a shadow government? Does her mother go to the theater frequently to seek mental escape, or is she just insane? Add in a minister who directs porno, and a ladylike operative whose underwear just won't stay up, and this black comedy will make us laugh all the way to the waterboarding room.
“[Durang’s] funniest play in years. A play that equals his early hits.” —John Simon, Bloomberg
“Comedic napalm, something like a cross between The Marriage of Bette and Boo and Dr. Strangelove. Durang has now joined ranks with Dario Fo. Durang is getting a lot off his chest, and off ours. . . unnervingly true and cathartic." —Bob Verini, Variety
Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them tells the story of a young woman in Is her new husband, whom she married when drunk, a terrorist? Or just crazy? Or both? Is her father's hobby of butterfly collecting really a cover for his involvement in a shadow government? Does her mother go to the theater frequently to seek mental escape, or is she just insane? Add in a minister who directs porno, and a ladylike operative whose underwear just won't stay up, and this black comedy will make us laugh all the way to the waterboarding room.
“[Durang’s] funniest play in years. A play that equals his early hits.” —John Simon, Bloomberg
“Comedic napalm, something like a cross between The Marriage of Bette and Boo and Dr. Strangelove. Durang has now joined ranks with Dario Fo. Durang is getting a lot off his chest, and off ours. . . unnervingly true and cathartic." —Bob Verini, Variety
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 6, 2020
The copy of this collection that I bought second-hand has a stamp on the inside page that says 'Withdrawn' (from the Skokie IL library). That is not at all surprising - suggesting, as it does, that it was removed due to censorship (basically). Durang has had a lot of problems with hawk-like religious groups with right-wing mindsets, even if they're not Republican. In his preface to the book, Durang explains his history of problems with such groups, who mainly object to anything he writes that criticizes the Catholic church. (He continues to have problems with one of his major hits, 'Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You'.)
The preface to this book is particularly well-written, as it's a clear-eyed overview of the author's career up to the time 'Why Torture is Wrong...' was published. Unfortunately, the preface is one of the best parts of the book. The book itself is a mixed-bag.
Having written some comedies myself, I have a good idea of how much more difficult they are than dramas. There's always the thrill of having written funny lines - but there's also the self-imposed pressure of making other lines funnier. Comedy can be tough, even for the best of playwrights. Durang's career bears that out. Sometimes he is hilariously funny, other times not.
Though it has a terrific title, 'Why Torture is Wrong...' is only half of a good play. Act One works wonderfully well until just before it concludes - when it begins to derail (something that continues through all of Act Two). At some point, Durang loses sight of his plot and his tone, often opting for shtick humor - i.e., having one supporting character's panties fall down constantly; introducing another character whose 'purpose' consists of nothing but Warner Brothers cartoon-character impersonations. These lapses are unfortunate because they represent lazy writing - but they are also part of a play with lots of potential that seems to simply give up.
The volume also includes 8 much-shorter works. Half of them are funny, the other half aren't. In his preface, Durang mentions something about two audience members who spoke to him individually after seeing 'Why Torture is Wrong...'. One of them criticized the work, the other praised it - and Durang makes known his preference for the person who praised his work. But writers should be receptive if / when criticism is valid.
Writers should - sort of - sense when they've done good work and when they haven't, or when they've done good work that's nevertheless met with cool or negative reception. When Durang is 'on', he's clever, inspired and reveals a singular wit. But when he's 'off' - as in half of this book - the result just seems forced.
The preface to this book is particularly well-written, as it's a clear-eyed overview of the author's career up to the time 'Why Torture is Wrong...' was published. Unfortunately, the preface is one of the best parts of the book. The book itself is a mixed-bag.
Having written some comedies myself, I have a good idea of how much more difficult they are than dramas. There's always the thrill of having written funny lines - but there's also the self-imposed pressure of making other lines funnier. Comedy can be tough, even for the best of playwrights. Durang's career bears that out. Sometimes he is hilariously funny, other times not.
Though it has a terrific title, 'Why Torture is Wrong...' is only half of a good play. Act One works wonderfully well until just before it concludes - when it begins to derail (something that continues through all of Act Two). At some point, Durang loses sight of his plot and his tone, often opting for shtick humor - i.e., having one supporting character's panties fall down constantly; introducing another character whose 'purpose' consists of nothing but Warner Brothers cartoon-character impersonations. These lapses are unfortunate because they represent lazy writing - but they are also part of a play with lots of potential that seems to simply give up.
The volume also includes 8 much-shorter works. Half of them are funny, the other half aren't. In his preface, Durang mentions something about two audience members who spoke to him individually after seeing 'Why Torture is Wrong...'. One of them criticized the work, the other praised it - and Durang makes known his preference for the person who praised his work. But writers should be receptive if / when criticism is valid.
Writers should - sort of - sense when they've done good work and when they haven't, or when they've done good work that's nevertheless met with cool or negative reception. When Durang is 'on', he's clever, inspired and reveals a singular wit. But when he's 'off' - as in half of this book - the result just seems forced.
April 28, 2021
I am a huge fan of Durang's unique style of shade. It is clear that he and I see eye-to-eye on organized religion and those that use their faith as a shackles and swords in the political arena. I might say, that he has more vitriol for those that would use their faith as an excuse to perpetuate evils and enforce control. I mean, he would have to have in order to sit down and pen so many works that are essentially the same. That is how I felt reading this collection. It was the same piece, chopped up and reassembled in a new pattern over and over.
I ended up reading a whole book between sections so that I could break up the redundant feeling. In the end, that didn't even work. I still love him and think that he is brilliant, bit I could live without having read past the first section of this collection.
I ended up reading a whole book between sections so that I could break up the redundant feeling. In the end, that didn't even work. I still love him and think that he is brilliant, bit I could live without having read past the first section of this collection.
July 29, 2024
Reading these plays on the page is like watching the playwright shooting right-wing fish in a barrel. The plays read as mildly amusing outings that are preaching to the liberal choir. I would hope these odd ball character's thoughts would be much more hilarious in the mouths of skilled comedic actors.
January 19, 2019
Love his humor and the way he sees the world. My only regret is he has never published the full script of Sex and Longing and we only get excepts here. I loved it when it played Broadway, but the author seems embarrassed by it's reception in general. Too bad.
January 26, 2024
Lowkey hated reading this play but think I’d enjoy it as a stage production…which ya know…is how it is intended
July 22, 2024
Durang's most political plays.
Which means these are the ones that date quickly.
Which means these are the ones that date quickly.
August 11, 2017
Durang's absurdist take on terrorism, torture and second amendment rights. After Betty's Summer Vacation, this may be my favorite Christopher Durang. I got to see the Off-Broadway production and was happy to have Kristine Nielson and Laura Benanti back in my head.
There were some hilarious theater quotes:
Felicity: I don't like going to the theater.
Luella: Oh, are you referring to those three evenings of Tom Stoppard plays? There's a woman in my bridge club who said she knew someone who killed themselves during the third one, it was so dull.
Felicity: How did they kill themselves?
Luella: I think it was force of will. They forced their heart to stop beating.
...later...
Luella: I did have one friend who killed herself during Brian Friel's Faith Healer.
Felicity: Really? Did she will her heart to stop beating?
Luella: No, she took a gun out and shot herself in the head. Apparently Ralph Fiennes was very offended.
There were some hilarious theater quotes:
Felicity: I don't like going to the theater.
Luella: Oh, are you referring to those three evenings of Tom Stoppard plays? There's a woman in my bridge club who said she knew someone who killed themselves during the third one, it was so dull.
Felicity: How did they kill themselves?
Luella: I think it was force of will. They forced their heart to stop beating.
...later...
Luella: I did have one friend who killed herself during Brian Friel's Faith Healer.
Felicity: Really? Did she will her heart to stop beating?
Luella: No, she took a gun out and shot herself in the head. Apparently Ralph Fiennes was very offended.
April 1, 2013
Christopher Durang's 2009 comedy is a broad satire on the "War on Terror" era in the United States, which also takes the time to address the value of live theatre. With biting criticism of war and poking fun of fellow playwrights, I could not help being reminded of Aristophanes. The play is built on a relationship that is hard to buy, even in such a broad comedy, though it could be pulled off in performance. The ending struggles a bit to find a hopeful message. Writing this comment in 2013, I would still produce this play: torture is less of a hot topic in popular media, but the excesses and the warped logic of the war on terror continue on.
December 27, 2013
A lot of these are in earlier anthologies of his.
December 3, 2015
Strange and barely coherent, but funny enough and with just enough substance to be enjoyable.
August 11, 2017
The main play felt very dated and was a slog to get through. I felt the other included snippets were more interesting and I think Durang is at his best when he's skewering his Catholic upbringing.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews