Guardians (play)

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Guardians is an Off-Broadway play written by Peter Morris. It debuted at the 2005 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, winning the "Fringe First Award" and made its New York debut on April 11, 2006 at The Culture Project.

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[edit] Synopsis

In London, a tabloid journalist finds an opportunity to further his career by manufacturing photographs supposedly depicting British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners. He is identified only as "English Boy". This story is intercut with the confessional monologue of a young United States Army soldier from West Virginia who becomes a scapegoat in a scandal involving photographs of actual abuse. She is identified only as "American Girl".

It is later revealed that English Boy is a sexual sadist, taking pleasure in torturing his partners and taking advantage of his boyfriend's masochism for his own pleasure. It is also revealed that American Girl had an abusive sexual relationship with a superior officer. It is implied that these relationships may have furthered the main characters' descent.

[edit] Inspiration

The story of American Girl is loosely based on that of Lynndie England, who was convicted of misconduct in the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. That of the British journalist is based on a 2004 scandal at The Daily Mirror, where a fabricated photograph depicting Iraqi abuse at British soldiers' hands was published.

[edit] April 11, 2006 - May 25, 2006 Culture Project Run

[edit] Actors

[edit] Personnel

[edit] May 8, 2006 - May 10, 2006 Newrite Theatre Company (Taunton, UK) Run

(Repeated again on July 28, 2006 as part of the Westival-the Arts Fest of the West.)

[edit] Actors

  • James Foster - English Boy
  • Rebecca Wearing - American Girl

[edit] Personnel

[edit] References