Stuff Happens

David Hare's Stuff Happens is a raw and unfiltered examination of the machinations and deliberations over the United States' attack on Iraq.


From the hole now known the world over as Ground Zero, Stuff Happens kicks off with a quick and harried introduction to the players in fresh focus of world politics at the dawn of September 12, 2001.

Chief UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix, Vice President Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, Bush, Blair... no Howard, though. The cast of sixteen actors operate smoothly and effortlessly to transport the audience between the situations and scenes. Their movement is reflective of the pace of the talks and discussions on the war against terror, and everything non-American in general. The fine line between actors and politicians existing only on the wall of black and white photos outside.

Rhys Muldoon and Greg Stone take on Prime Minister Blair and President Bush respectively, and with an uncanny nut to the essence of their core. With no more than a few vocal intonations and mannerisms, both men totally lose themselves in their portrayal of the two big hitters in world politics.

Colin Powell (Wayne Blair) emerges throughout the entire process as an entirely sympathetic character. For the most part, he is the only voice of reason in the deliberations over the attacks on Iraq, and the forcing of the UN, in playing a game of supposed international diplomacy under the changing rules dictated by the United States.

Delivery is a fast and fluid-paced platter of paranoia with an extreme sense of urgency and sheer lack of logic. Despite every scene and segment shedding light on the motivation of each and every move taken, some pruning would have made this an even tighter affair. Spilling over the edge at three hours, Stuff Happens is taxing theatre. Concentration is called upon from the very minute the lights darken to the point they lighten and signal the end of proceedings. Even as the dying rages on and the body count continues to escalate each and every day.

Stuff Happens is a decisive and intrinsic look at the time between the fall of the World Trade Centre and the invasion/war on Iraq and terrorism. The final and lone voice of the night brings home the heart of the preceding few hours far stronger and more potently than hammering would allow. A quiet and resounding resonance only achieved after the dying down of all the shouting earlier in the night.

Stuff Happens is playing at The Seymour Centre in Sydney until 21 August, 2005

Soon Van

Published July 2005 at The Program - NSW Stage reviews

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