Against

by Christopher Shinn

Go where there's violence.

Silicon Valley. The future. A rocket launches.

Luke is an aerospace billionaire who can talk to anyone. But God is talking to him. He sets out to change the world. Only violence stands in his way.

Christopher Shinn's gripping play received its world premiere at the Almeida Theatre on 12 August 2017 in a production directed by Ian Rickson and featuring Ben Whishaw as Luke.

Genres: Plays

120 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2017

About the author

Christopher Shinn is the author of Dying City (Pulitzer Prize finalist), Where Do We Live (Obie in Playwriting), Now or Later (Evening Standard Theater Award for Best Play shortlist), and Four. Most recently, his play Against premiered at the Almeida Theatre and his adaptation of Ödön von Horváth's Judgment Day premiered at Park Avenue Armory. Of his thirteen original plays, over half had their world premiere in England, with five at the Royal Court. Fellowships include the Guggenheim (2005), the Radcliffe (2019), and the Cullman (2020). His plays are published by Methuen and he teaches playwriting at the New School.

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shinn's early plays were both provocative and dramatically charged, but the last few I've just found overly schematic and polemical. In this one, characters never seem quite human - they discourse rather than converse, and the play is all over the map thematically and dramaturgically. Worse, it is hard to understand Shinn's point - several storylines (Anna's in particular) are never resolved, and others just kind of peter out. Disappointing.

[Charley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could rate it lower.

[Not Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Play.

Morality play, leans towards Christian philosophy/new testament, biblical allegories, American modern society, late stage capitalism and empire, discussion of violence in America (guns, school shooters, sexual assault, gender violence, treatment of sex workers).

[Nikos Dunno · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this play; the idea that we need to find ways to deal with violence differently, more openly, more empathetically. But even though it creates many emotional scenes, it stays on the surface and fails to deliver a point. I can see how moving the performances might have been, but the text on its own is a bit lacking.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

(read for actor and text)

really interesting play which discusses themes of violence and the shapes and forms it can manifest, billionaires and the inherent violence they participate in, and the attitudes of the media toward major events.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought-provoking and very close to home. Wish I had had the chance to see it live!

[massmarketbareback · Rating 1 out of 5]

pants