tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475366742224333832.post5009333239400501153..comments2012-01-18T07:12:07.440-08:00Comments on Thinking Dog Reviews: Delaneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02538442464106472741noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475366742224333832.post-26025318903620733962009-08-22T02:11:45.648-07:002009-08-22T02:11:45.648-07:00Hi D - Thanks for the review and offering to do th...Hi D - Thanks for the review and offering to do this for other theaters and arts events - this is a much needed service for local arts.<br /><br />And thanks, Jean, for appreciating the fact that I neither tried to demonize or sanctify Turner. My intent was to dramatize what is known of Turner's motivations, mainly from the confessions provided to the Court during the trial. I have promoted this piece as an adaptation of these confessions. Controversy prevails over the confessions even though Turner admitted in court that the confessions were accurate and given freely. And controversy will follow this play and any other works about Turner for as long as history lives. I believe Turner was a man of exceptional intelligence tortured by a vicious system, who turned to religion for release - I believe he used the term that, he was led away by "entusiasm" - I believe that is what we call religious fanaticism today. Was he madman, murderer, fanatic or hero - maybe a bit of all - you decide. But one thing for sure, he is an important figure in human history to comtemplate - trying to understand Nat and his struggle with oppression, will offer insight into the acts of oppressed people today and unfortunately, the oppressed of the future.P. A. Wraynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475366742224333832.post-81689234527645842792009-08-21T22:44:46.049-07:002009-08-21T22:44:46.049-07:00I wish I could see this play. I can see how it is ...I wish I could see this play. I can see how it is more complicated than one might think at first. Slavery is bad so let's kill all the people who put us there. Easier said than done. And once done, paying the price had to be hell. But living as a slave was also hell.<br /><br />Sounds like a nightmare to me.kate loving shenkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03056341991490638546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475366742224333832.post-67968040546415957402009-08-18T07:36:14.468-07:002009-08-18T07:36:14.468-07:00I wonder about martyrs for passionate causes on th...I wonder about martyrs for passionate causes on this earth. Nat Turner might not be anyone in history if he had not given his life in such a dramatic way. He is etched in our collective consciousness by this act of heroism. I am interested, too, in how religion can be the impetus behind delusional acts of valor. I am wondering, too, how delusional these acts are. Much of the Bible certainly seems delusional and reading other mystics' works has the same effect. I have no answers, just questions.<br />I do think Nat Turner was one of the first in a long line of historic figures sacrificing for freedom in the African American struggle which has led us all to the question of what is freedom? Their struggle is the portal for all of us in our search for freedom.sydney shenk kissingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13271615273748919297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2475366742224333832.post-82000269017691731542009-08-18T04:42:08.256-07:002009-08-18T04:42:08.256-07:00Good review, Delaney. Interestingly, this particu...Good review, Delaney. Interestingly, this particular subject has divided many family and friends, creating small civil wars among those who would either demonize Turner or sanctify him. (This play does neither, fortunately.) The story of Nat Turner has so much myth attached to it, like many legends, that his story has, in fact, become many stories. And, as such, it is worth discussing again as we see old fears arise in angry town hall meetings at which some come to shout down objective debate about our nation's health out of fear of change. <br /><br />Jean Klein (I couldn't seem to sign in under my name, so I just signed this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com