Saw a great play this week at the New Theatre, Newtown: Quiet Night in Rangoon.
It is a really thought-provoking play by Katie Pollock. It particularised the suffering of people in Burma, specifically at the time of the ‘Saffron Revolution’ in 2007. Well acted and thoughtfully scripted, it served to remind me just how easy it is to theorize and judge, when you’re well fed and safe.
The reality of torture and abuse is such a (mercifully) distant concept to most of us here in Australia. Who knows what any one of us would do – who we would betray – should we find ourselves a victim of torture?
The play also highlighted our ignorant position in regard to Buddhism, which as become increasingly popular in the West over the past couple of decades. Again, how easy it is to ‘cherry-pick’ the palatable aspects of a religion from our position.
Thank you Katie, and thanks to Paul and Daniela of subtlenuance productions, who put the play on.