BINOCULARS
nytheatre.com review by Julie Congress
August 15, 2002
I know Binoculars is a commentary on the aftermath of 9/11, but
I’m afraid that’s about all I got out of it. Set in present day New York
City, Binoculars tells the story of Jack, who is positive that his
co-worker is the same man whom the news has identified as being a
terrorist. (They share the same name and probable Arab ethnicity.)
Jack’s fiancie, Illana, thinks Jack has gone crazy, especially after he
obtains a pair of binoculars and begins spying on this man, who lives in
an adjacent apartment building. Illana blames the media, specifically
the station CNM, for brainwashing him and tells Jack that this is why he
shouldn’t watch the news.Parts of Binoculars appear to be parodies, specifically scenes dealing with Sheila, the CNM news anchor. However, these satirical scenes certainly don’t feel like any news I’ve ever watched: Sheila begins telling little jokes and adds humorous remarks in the middle of a supposed terrorist attack. Eventually, Binoculars resorts to derogatory, possibly offensive stereotypes of Jews and homosexuals in a vain attempt to get laughter from the audience.
I am sure that writer Larah Bross has a point to make with this play. Unfortunately, I really don’t know what that point would be.
