“I’d hate to be an Indian.” Those in attendance at the first special event of the season at University Theater this past weekend would undoubtedly agree with this quote. With our country still remembering one of the greatest American losses in our history, “The Indian Wants the Bronx” premiered Sept. 11 as part of the university’s campus-wide memorial events.
The play was short and sweet, running just under an hour in length, but “sweet” describes nothing about this powerful drama. Two men from the Bronx, Murph and Joey, awaiting their ride home at a bus stop, take note of an “Indian” who has accompanied them.
The audience never actually knows this man’s homeland; Murph and Joey just ignorantly assume he is either a “turkey” or an “Indian.” They see immediately that he is not American, not like them, and an easy target to poke fun at.
They begin their antics, “playing games” and verbally abusing this poor man, whose only wish is to get to his friend’s house in the Bronx. The show takes a physically abusive turn when Murph and Joey take out their own personal aggressions on their foreign passerby.
This play, written by Israel Horowitz in the early 1960s and directed at University Theater by Nick Tamarkin, has powerful and universal themes. Although written decades ago, the cruelty of these two men hit close to home during the past week. A simple set, equipped with two dirty metal garbage cans and a trashed phone booth with broken glass and graffiti covering its sides set the mood for this somber story. The audience sits in the round, seeing the brutality and violence from every angle.
The three-person cast is this show. Peter Bissen, playing Gupta the “Indian,” seems almost pitiful at times, carrying around his small piece of paper with the address for his friend’s house and attempting to understand the confusing circumstances in which he finds himself at this bus stop. Bissen does a wonderful job of playing the innocent and harmless immigrant, questioning why these two thugs feel the need to take out their aggressions on him.
Seamus Dooley, playing the role of Murph, which was originated in the late 1960s by screen actor Al Pacino, also did a fine job portraying the emotionally disturbed thug. And Andrew Gallant, as Joey, impressively portrayed a thug who had a conscience and second-guessed the actions he took towards the “Indian.”
Sept. 11 should have been reminder enough to our nation that hate cannot win and that cruelness and inhumane behavior does not belong within our hearts. Opening on this most appropriate anniversary, “The Indian Wants the Bronx” played a minor yet incredibly important role in this university’s events to remember Sept. 11. It is a play that reminds us just how quickly our hearts can be diverted to hatred, whether we realize it or not.
University Theatre continues its fall lineup this weekend with “The Passion of Dracula.” The performances are held at the Mitchell Theatre at 7:30 p.m., and the show runs from Sept. 19-21, 26-28.
