Osama The Hero | Interview

When ‘terrorism’ becomes an excuse for all sorts of abuse, the world becomes a scary place indeed. Such is the conceit of Dennis Kelly’s Osama The Hero, in which a teenager is villainised for penning a school project on Osama Bin Laden, and which is currently being staged by MADC at St James Cavalier tonight and February 18-20.

The play will naturally have relevance post-9/11... but given all the other (and arguably equally explosive) happenings related to the ‘culture clash’ it evokes, do you think the play itself maintains as urgent a relevance?

We live in Malta. It is a suspicious society where that which does not conform is frowned upon. I am using the vast sense of the term ‘conformity’ here.  What I mean is that if something is different, ideologically, genetically, culturally, religiously… Maltese society frowns upon it.  In that sense, I think that the play is very relevant.  Osama the Hero is about someone who has a different outlook on life. In Malta we are taught to frown upon someone like that and to be suspicious of him.

And more to the point: do you think it’s realistic and feasible for theatre to rely on such specific topical markers? How does Osama The Hero, in your view, attempt to make the drama more universal?

Not only is it feasible it is also of the utmost importance that theatre relies on specific topical markers. If a theatre piece is dated then it is irrelevant to the audience, the actors and to anyone else involved.  It is for that reason, therefore, that I don’t go for certain playwrights. Theatre worldwide has developed, and it has come to rely on topical markers to make itself relevant to its audience. There are certain playwrights whose work never ages (take Shakespeare), but others become irrelevant quickly.  Therefore it is important to keep oneself abreast with what is happening in the world and what is happening in theatre.

Osama the Hero speaks about terror and its effects but it also speaks about human insecurity, fear and the ability of looking at things from a different perspective.  Fear is a universal feeling. We all have sensed fear sometime in our life. In Osama The Hero, fear is taken advantage of and turned into hate by the powers that be resulting in the tragedy of the play.  And that is what makes the play universal. The characters in the play could be anyone.

The play is studded with a young cast. What kind of energy do they bring to table, especially given the global, topical relevance of the play, and the fact that this is dealing with issues specific to ‘their’ generation, even though they might not have the historical-political perspective that comes with experience?

The play is studded with a talented  young cast. They bring to the fore a great energy and enthusiasm that few other plays can offer.
What we see here is how the media and the powers that be have affected these youngsters and how they have transformed them into damaged goods.

This play is about the post-9/11 world, about how it has affected these lives and I feel that the young people are the most suited to show us their experiences. Although they might still be forming their historical-political perspectives, the young still have their beliefs and their convictions. Maybe they are not as mature as those of an adult veteran but they are still important.

There is a lot of depth to the play and the cast and the director have been through the enigmas that the text presents very diligently. It is true that what happens might not be their direct experience but since the human tragedy is so global and universal, the actors, in spite of their young age have their own experiences to turn to.

The culture of surveillance is quite specific to Britain, and perhaps America. Do you think local audiences will identify with it equally?

We might not have surveillance in Malta but we have a lot of people putting their noses in other peoples’ businesses. Sometimes it feels as if surveillance exists unofficially.  I don’t think that the audience will be at any difficulty identifying with the situations the play presents because it is all so very close to home. I feel that what matters in a play is the human experience, not the story background. This is a play about fear turning violent. Fear and violence are innate to each and every one of us. Malta is no exception… in fact, in a bi-polar society as ours, it is even more accentuated.

Osama the Hero is directed by Erin Stewart Tanti and the cast includes Luke Farrugia, Karl Cassar, Joe Pace, Davinia Hamilton and Larissa Bonaci. The play is rated 18.

Tickets at €15 can be booked by calling 21 223200 or emailing [email protected].