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Noah Diamond and Amanda Sisk
As critics and intellectuals
are constantly reminding
us, it's possible to see
political implications in
almost anything. Political
theatre is not a very
specific description. Some
are constantly reminding
us, it's possible to see
political implications in
almost anything. Political
theatre is not a very
specific description. Some
political theatre is allegorical. Some is metaphorical. Some is historical.
And there are even some kinds of political theatre which do not rhyme with
those.
The NERO FIDDLED shows (among which 400 Years in Manhattan is an
anomaly) are literally and specifically about contemporary policy, politics,
and politicians. City Under Siege, Burning Bush, Moral Value Meal, and
the forthcoming Life After Bush all deal with the actions and ideologies of
our representatives in Washington, and with the implications they have for
the people who live in this country and on this planet.
This makes the shows sound pretty serious, and in this sense, they are.
The shows are serious because there is nothing more serious than their
subject matter. But as all students of comedy know, the most effective
humor always deals with the darkest themes. Mel Brooks has said:
And there are even some kinds of political theatre which do not rhyme with
those.
The NERO FIDDLED shows (among which 400 Years in Manhattan is an
anomaly) are literally and specifically about contemporary policy, politics,
and politicians. City Under Siege, Burning Bush, Moral Value Meal, and
the forthcoming Life After Bush all deal with the actions and ideologies of
our representatives in Washington, and with the implications they have for
the people who live in this country and on this planet.
This makes the shows sound pretty serious, and in this sense, they are.
The shows are serious because there is nothing more serious than their
subject matter. But as all students of comedy know, the most effective
humor always deals with the darkest themes. Mel Brooks has said:
"The greatest comedy plays against the greatest
tragedy. Comedy is a red rubber ball, and if you throw it
against a soft, funny wall, it will not come back. But if you
throw it against the hard will of ultimate reality, it will
bounce back and be very lively."
tragedy. Comedy is a red rubber ball, and if you throw it
against a soft, funny wall, it will not come back. But if you
throw it against the hard will of ultimate reality, it will
bounce back and be very lively."
Like many political artists, we are sometimes accused of "preaching to the
choir." We like the standard response to this criticism -- "That's how you
make them sing" -- and wish we had come up with it ourselves. We don't
imagine that right-wing conservatives are coming to see our shows and
then joining the Democratic Party. We're not doing this because of some
delusion that a musical comedy can impact the electoral map.
What theatre can do is inspire its audience. We want to inspire our
audience, through laughter and outrage, to become more politically
informed and involved. Identifying oneself as a liberal is not enough; we
want people who already agree with us to take the next step: an active
role in the shaping of our nation's future. The Bush years have shown us
the frightening fragility of our democracy. The best way to preserve
democracy is by participating in it.
But these high-minded abstractions are hard to take on a Saturday night.
So we deliver them in a package, with as much fidelity to the art and craft
of comedy and song as to the function and welfare of society and
government. We'll give you a crowd of terrified townspeople stalking a
creature named Cheney, but not without tackling the Project for the New
American Century; we'll give you former Senator Rick Santorum proudly
cooing over a fetus in a jar, but not without demonstrating the steady and
scary erosion of abortion rights since the passage of Roe v. Wade.
In City Under Siege, Santorum actually exploded on the floor of the 2004
Republican National Convention. In Moral Value Meal, the Rumsfeld
Pentagon's failure to provide adequate body armor for our troops became
a sketch about a narrow strip of foil. In Burning Bush, the title character is
crucified, and then his carcass is eaten by Dick Cheney, and we could not
be more serious.
This is not art for art's sake. This is comedy for democracy.
choir." We like the standard response to this criticism -- "That's how you
make them sing" -- and wish we had come up with it ourselves. We don't
imagine that right-wing conservatives are coming to see our shows and
then joining the Democratic Party. We're not doing this because of some
delusion that a musical comedy can impact the electoral map.
What theatre can do is inspire its audience. We want to inspire our
audience, through laughter and outrage, to become more politically
informed and involved. Identifying oneself as a liberal is not enough; we
want people who already agree with us to take the next step: an active
role in the shaping of our nation's future. The Bush years have shown us
the frightening fragility of our democracy. The best way to preserve
democracy is by participating in it.
But these high-minded abstractions are hard to take on a Saturday night.
So we deliver them in a package, with as much fidelity to the art and craft
of comedy and song as to the function and welfare of society and
government. We'll give you a crowd of terrified townspeople stalking a
creature named Cheney, but not without tackling the Project for the New
American Century; we'll give you former Senator Rick Santorum proudly
cooing over a fetus in a jar, but not without demonstrating the steady and
scary erosion of abortion rights since the passage of Roe v. Wade.
In City Under Siege, Santorum actually exploded on the floor of the 2004
Republican National Convention. In Moral Value Meal, the Rumsfeld
Pentagon's failure to provide adequate body armor for our troops became
a sketch about a narrow strip of foil. In Burning Bush, the title character is
crucified, and then his carcass is eaten by Dick Cheney, and we could not
be more serious.
This is not art for art's sake. This is comedy for democracy.
400 Years in Manhattan,
the book based on the
show, available now:
the book based on the
show, available now:
Life After Bush, our next
show, opening in October
of 2008 and culminating
in an unprecedented live
Election Night event:
show, opening in October
of 2008 and culminating
in an unprecedented live
Election Night event:
Neropedia, your guide to
the world of NERO
FIDDLED:
the world of NERO
FIDDLED:
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"Against the assault of
laughter, nothing can
stand." -- Mark Twain
laughter, nothing can
stand." -- Mark Twain