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A story within a story, this interesting piece of new writing juxtaposes a torrid and violent tale with the chaste surroundings of a film producer’s office.

Despite there being two actors on stage, this was actually a high energy monologue delivered by producer James. Actress Amy sat passively without speaking a word (and without a single emotion flicking across her face) for the entire length of the performance. Amy’s blankness was made even more prominent by the fact that a video of her face was projected on the wall throughout. Amy is apparently a big film star who is being pitched the lead role in a new film. James, the producer, peppers his monologue with comments about her previous films, acting ability and potential for the film to win awards. However, the real story is the pitch, and James is our narrator.

I was initially wary of the plot line of the film involving a middle class white woman being afraid of a Middle Eastern man with a prayer mat on an airplane, however as stereotypes piled up and the story became more ridiculous (and slightly pornographic at times) I found myself genuinely entertained. It was revealed that Amy is to play a woman who lost her boyfriend Troy in the twin towers (illustrated by James with a toy airplane). After her encounter on the airplane, she falls for the Middle Eastern man, Mohammed. It turns out that he is Al Qaeda and a terrorist cell eventually forms and meets in her loft apartment (previously an abattoir, as James reminds us), to which she turns a blind eye until Osama himself shows up. She begs Osama to let her join Mohammed in his suicide mission to blow up Euro Disneyland, but later changes her mind and turns him in. He is taken away, after lighting himself on fire and copulating in the pool with Amy. She then goes on a Rambo-style mission to rescue him from the detention centre, where unfortunately he dies shortly after she finds him.

The humour is satirical, ironic and at times gruesome and definitely got a few laughs from the unfortunately small audience. And what did our expressionless actress Amy think of the pitch? Well, James told the boss she loved it.

Kate Bottriell (Unverified), 13/06/07