1. The Mercy Seat Play

Mercy Seat Play The mercy seat. Concepts And Practices In Elementary Activity Programs. Mercy Seat Play PDF Download.

On September 12, 2001, Ben Harcourt finds himself in the downtown apartment of his lover, Amy Prescott. Over the course of the night, Ben and Amy explore the choices now available to them in an existence different from the one they knew just the day before. LaBute presents the brutal realities of the war between the sexes and explores whether one can be truly opportunistic On September 12, 2001, Ben Harcourt finds himself in the downtown apartment of his lover, Amy Prescott.

Over the course of the night, Ben and Amy explore the choices now available to them in an existence different from the one they knew just the day before. LaBute presents the brutal realities of the war between the sexes and explores whether one can be truly opportunistic in a time of universal selflessness. The thing that struck me as most positive was how Abby handled herself. She was not going to let him do whatever he wanted. She was really upset about all this and was willing to throw away her amazing life for him.

He however was not going to do the same. The only thing I did not really like was the language.

This story made me feel angry and confused at the same time. I tried to embody Abby and understand her side more then Ben. Ben was the cheater and bad person. She was just a pawn in his ga The thing that struck me as most positive was how Abby handled herself. She was not going to let him do whatever he wanted.

She was really upset about all this and was willing to throw away her amazing life for him. He however was not going to do the same. The only thing I did not really like was the language. This story made me feel angry and confused at the same time. I tried to embody Abby and understand her side more then Ben.

Ben was the cheater and bad person. She was just a pawn in his games. I learned that, in order to get through this world, women need to be strong and hold their heads high. I do plan on reading more plays by Neil. Playwright and director neil labute is well-known for his harsh dialogue and devastatingly honest characters. The mercy seat, labute’s post-9/11 stage drama, features both.

Set in new york city the day following the september 11th attacks, the play centers not upon the tragedy’s aftermath, but, instead, upon two city residents and their own self-imposed domestic troubles. With the scope and repercussions of the horrific attacks not yet fully known, ben and abby find the nature of their adulterou playwright and director neil labute is well-known for his harsh dialogue and devastatingly honest characters. The mercy seat, labute’s post-9/11 stage drama, features both.

The Mercy Seat Play

Set in new york city the day following the september 11th attacks, the play centers not upon the tragedy’s aftermath, but, instead, upon two city residents and their own self-imposed domestic troubles. With the scope and repercussions of the horrific attacks not yet fully known, ben and abby find the nature of their adulterous relationship coming to a head. Ben, husband and father, considers using the tragedy for his own selfish end: abandoning his wife and children (whom will, of course, believe he perished when the towers came crashing down) in favor of running off with abby, his boss and lover. Despite the candor and cruelty with which the play’s only two characters address each other, there are a few brief moments of humor.

Labute’s dialogue is both frenzied and believable, and the characters quite convincing. The mercy seat is an engaging work, and while it has been nearly a decade since that fateful tuesday morning, the play’s themes of self-absorption still ring relevant. From the preface: in the mercy seat i am trying to examine the “ground zero” of our lives, that gaping hole in ourselves that we try to cover up with clothes from the gap, with cologne from ralph lauren, with handbags from kate spade. Why are we willing to run a hundred miles around simply saying to someone, “i don’t know if i love you anymore”? Because nikes are cheap, running is easy, and honesty is the hardest, coldest currency on the planet now i have written a play about two new yorkers who face down one another and their own selves on a long, dark morning of the soul. I hold the mirror up higher and try to examine how selfishness can still exist during a moment of national selflessness. The Mercy Seat is the story of Ben and his boss Abby after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

In a relationship, they struggle with a difficult life decision they must make in light of the tragedy. I think it would be unfair to explain the exact nature of the choice they're making in this essay- in fact, probably even the back cover of the play gives away too much. Suffice it to say that this is the story about two people who were once in love and the choices that both of them make about their The Mercy Seat is the story of Ben and his boss Abby after the September 11 terrorist attacks. In a relationship, they struggle with a difficult life decision they must make in light of the tragedy. I think it would be unfair to explain the exact nature of the choice they're making in this essay- in fact, probably even the back cover of the play gives away too much.

Suffice it to say that this is the story about two people who were once in love and the choices that both of them make about their relationship. LaBute does a phenomenal job with his dialogue- these are two people in a relationship who both know how to hurt each other and do so frequently, but who also care enough about each other to feel some regret afterward.

At times it reminded me of Long Day's Journey Into Night, another relentless drama where loved ones hurt each other. Still, LaBute isn't immune to some missteps. The middle of the play sags and gets a little monotonous- indeed there is so much airing of dirty laundry that sometimes one wonders why the two main characters would even want to be with each other.

One major awkward misstep is the monologue Abby has about what she thinks about during sex. What is it supposed to be? Hurtful to Ben? Personally, I thought it was ridiculous, though a good actress could probably carry it. Even so, the conclusion of the play is masterfully done and fantastic. From the from the part of the play where the neighbor borrows milk to the end, LaBute doesn't make a misstep.

All of the characters make the choices they need to- or don't make them, as the case may be. I like Neil LaBute when he does his own work (he was the poor sucker saddled with the remake of 'The Wicker Man.' It had Nic Cage in it. Enough said), but if you've seen one Neil LaBute play/movie, you've seen them all.

It just so happens I like his style, so I'm willing to enjoy another round of the same old fight. The dialogue is always brutal and honest, the kind of callous that resonates in the hardest conversations of life. The play takes place the day after 9/11, leaving an adulterous coupl I like Neil LaBute when he does his own work (he was the poor sucker saddled with the remake of 'The Wicker Man.'

It had Nic Cage in it. Enough said), but if you've seen one Neil LaBute play/movie, you've seen them all. It just so happens I like his style, so I'm willing to enjoy another round of the same old fight. The dialogue is always brutal and honest, the kind of callous that resonates in the hardest conversations of life.

The play takes place the day after 9/11, leaving an adulterous couple to debate the validity of their relationship and the the opportunity to do what they view as good because of the freedom found in something so tragic. It sounds risky, and considering the play was on the stage a little more than a year after the planes hit, it is, but it isn't a risk for Neil LaBute. There's the classic arguments, the twist at the end, but if you know Neil LaBute, you're waiting for it. If it were my first time through the LaBute experience, I'd give it three stars, but at this point, I'd just rather watch his stellar 'In the Company of Men' instead.

Picked this out from the library on the 'I recognize the author's name, but I'm not sure why' impulse. I may be somewhat biased in being sympathetic to a play that is essentially just dialogue between a man and a woman trying to figure out the nature of their relationship (and themselves within it) in that I have written multiple pieces in a same vein (though none good enough to be performed or published), but I was worn down by the end as LaBute could have easily accomplished the same dramatic Picked this out from the library on the 'I recognize the author's name, but I'm not sure why' impulse. I may be somewhat biased in being sympathetic to a play that is essentially just dialogue between a man and a woman trying to figure out the nature of their relationship (and themselves within it) in that I have written multiple pieces in a same vein (though none good enough to be performed or published), but I was worn down by the end as LaBute could have easily accomplished the same dramatic effect with half the text and some additional stage direction. The real saving grace of the piece is in it's willing exposure of the not hide the human impulse to exploit even horrific tragedies for supposed personal, emotional gain. A man tries to use the horrific events of 9/11 for his own ends. A woman tries to get him to live the truth. I felt that there was just too much back and forth in this play.

Accusations thrown about, predictably getting nastier and nastier. The end twist is interesting but not earth-shattering. I like the idea of exploring the human pettiness that would allow someone to take advantage of an unspeakable event like 9/11, but this doesn't explore it in a wide enough fashion. It reduces it to a very A man tries to use the horrific events of 9/11 for his own ends. A woman tries to get him to live the truth.

I felt that there was just too much back and forth in this play. Accusations thrown about, predictably getting nastier and nastier. The end twist is interesting but not earth-shattering. I like the idea of exploring the human pettiness that would allow someone to take advantage of an unspeakable event like 9/11, but this doesn't explore it in a wide enough fashion. It reduces it to a very small, personal, should-I-leave-the-wife-and-kids tale.

I would watch it, though, with a the cast they had for the original production - Liev Schreiber and Sigourney Weaver. This playwright is almost universally acclaimed, but I find many of his plots to be simplistic and somewhat uninteresting.

This play is a good example. When I first heard of it, I was intrigued by the idea of someone taking advantage of the opportunity to disappear in the wake of 9/11. But this story is not what I was expecting. And I found the ending particularly formulaic and disappointing.

I believe this author's strengths lie in his ability to create believable characters, and he's particular This playwright is almost universally acclaimed, but I find many of his plots to be simplistic and somewhat uninteresting. This play is a good example.

When I first heard of it, I was intrigued by the idea of someone taking advantage of the opportunity to disappear in the wake of 9/11. But this story is not what I was expecting. And I found the ending particularly formulaic and disappointing.

I believe this author's strengths lie in his ability to create believable characters, and he's particularly good at dialogue. But, in my opinion, he relies too much on shock to create interest in his characters and in his plots. Clearly, not one of my favorite plays.

It was a nice quick read and definitely delved deep into some great themes. It touched on 9/11, but kept its focus on the characters and their issues, which was great.

I guess I just found myself less engaged with this play than I have with LaBute's other plays. My age may play a factor here too - I'm at least ten years younger than both of the characters. Middle-agers will probably find more to enjoy in this play, but for a younger audience, I don't think Clearly, not one of my favorite plays.

It was a nice quick read and definitely delved deep into some great themes. It touched on 9/11, but kept its focus on the characters and their issues, which was great. I guess I just found myself less engaged with this play than I have with LaBute's other plays. My age may play a factor here too - I'm at least ten years younger than both of the characters. Middle-agers will probably find more to enjoy in this play, but for a younger audience, I don't think this is the LaBute play to read.

Neil LaBute is an American film director, screenwriter and playwright. Born in Detroit, Michigan, LaBute was raised in Spokane, Washington.

He studied theater at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At BYU he also met actor Aaron Eckhart, who would later play leading roles in several of his films. He produced a number of plays that pushed Neil LaBute is an American film director, screenwriter and playwright. Born in Detroit, Michigan, LaBute was raised in Spokane, Washington. He studied theater at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

At BYU he also met actor Aaron Eckhart, who would later play leading roles in several of his films. He produced a number of plays that pushed the envelope of what was acceptable at the conservative religious university, some of which were shut down after their premieres. LaBute also did graduate work at the University of Kansas, New York University, and the Royal Academy of London. In 1993 he returned to Brigham Young University to premier his play In the Company of Men, for which he received an award from the Association for Mormon Letters. He taught drama and film at IPFW in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the early 1990s where he adapted and filmed the play, shot over two weeks and costing $25,000, beginning his career as a film director. The film won the Filmmakers Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival, and major awards and nominations at the Deauville Film Festival, the Independent Spirit Awards, the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Society of Texas Film Critics Awards and the New York Film Critics Circle.

LaBute has received high praise from critics for his edgy and unsettling portrayals of human relationships. In the Company of Men portrays two misogynist businessmen (one played by Eckhart) cruelly plotting to romance and emotionally destroy a deaf woman. His next film Your Friends & Neighbors (1998), with an ensemble cast including Eckhart and Ben Stiller, was a shockingly honest portrayal of the sex lives of three suburban couples. In 2000 he wrote an off-Broadway play entitled Bash: Latter-Day Plays, a set of three short plays (Iphigenia in orem, A gaggle of saints, and Medea redux) depicting essentially good Latter-day Saints doing disturbing and violent things. One of the plays was a much-talked-about one-person performance by Calista Flockhart.

This play resulted in his being disfellowshipped from the LDS Church. He has since formally left the LDS Church. LaBute's 2002 play The Mercy Seat was one of the first major theatrical responses to the September 11, 2001 attacks. Set on September 12, it concerns a man who worked at the World Trade Center but was away from the office during the attack — with his mistress. Expecting that his family believes that he was killed in the towers' collapse, he contemplates using the tragedy to run away and start a new life with his lover. Starring Liev Schreiber and Sigourney Weaver, the play was a commercial and critical success.

LaBute's latest film is The Wicker Man, an American version of a British cult classic. His first horror film, it starred Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn and was released on September 1, 2006 by Warner Bros.

Pictures to scathing critical reviews and mediocre box office. He is working with producer Gail Mutrux on the screen adaptation of The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff. “Maybe that's what Hell is, in the end. All of your wrongful shit played out there in front of you while you're being pumped from behind by someone you've hurt. That you've screwed over in life.

Or worse, worse still.some person who doesn't really love you anymore. No one to ever look at again, make contact with. Just you being fucked as your life splashes out across this big headboard in the Devil's bedroom. Even if that's not it, even if Hell is all fire and sulfur and that sort of thing, it couldn't be much worse than that.” —.