Omnium Gatherum
The Clean House's Fiona Reid on Rebeck / Gersten Theatrical Feast
This 2004 Pulitzer Finalist is a facsinating play about global discourse seasoned with hostess Suzie and culinary delights from Anjou Pear Salad to Amuse Bouche!
In this continuing series, actress Fiona Reid about to star opposite Seana McKenna in The Clean House at CanStage, speaks more about her role as Suzie in Omnium Gatherum.
Lots of people exist in a vacuum when it comes to world affairs. If I am not part of it, it does not effect me. But I am so sorry for those poor people over there.
“Oh very much so. I saw a great film called The Control Room which I recommend to everybody. It’s ostensibly about Al Jezeera, but it’s also about what it feels like to be of the citizens in a country that gets bombed, that being Iraq, and the fallout in the neighbouring countries. The American army press officer in that film said " One of the things that I have learned being here is for America Saddam Hussein is an enemy that had to be removed for George Bush, but over here, to the Muslims who live here, American aggression is absolutely tied up with their support of Israel and what Israel has done in the Middle East and the Palistinian cause."
So when America is aggressive in this manner it reflects on Israel’s position and their sense of victimhood vis a vis Israel. It’s really interesting to look at the other side and see how well... It’s difficult in our play because I think the Tom Clancy character really has no truck with the Edward Said type character. But if you really listen to what the Edward Said type character is saying, it’s pretty interesting stuff. “
Do the dinner guests even listen to each other? Do they get along?
“The men at the table are jockeying for placement in a male ego kind of way and I think Lydia (feminist vegan) really takes on the middle position because she has the brains to deal with the guys and then Julia’s character (the black minister) she takes it on from a more moral and humanistic point of view. All the points of view are interesting. With Suzie, as very often is the case when you are trying to get people together, she is trying to be conciliatory and no, I don’t think she gets everything that is being said.”
What about the audience reaction – I get the sense that some of the people in the audience may be seeing themselves on stage.
Well. It’s been good. Thankfully, it’s a funny play so there are really good reactions. The play goes to another dimension with the arrival of the mystery guest and that’s where it gets quite absurd. I think I really do get preoccupied with wait a minute, are you guys really in hell – it really doesn’t matter. But I think the point is, if we keep going the way we are going and America keeps going the way it’s going will there be much difference between that and hell if we don’t extend the arm of compassion? As Nigel’s (Shawn Williams') character says at the end, "We don’t have a lot of time here.”
