Guardians is an Off-Broadway play written by Peter Morris. It debuted at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning the "Fringe First Award" and made its New York debut on April 11, 2006 at The Culture Project.
Topic
play written by Peter Morris
“Neither the Army nor the Navy is of any protection, or very little protection, against aerial raids.”
“If you are not ready, and did not know what to do, it could hurt you in different ways. It could knock you down, hard, or throw you against a tree or a wall. It is such a big explosion, it can smash in buildings and knock signboards over, and break windows all over town, but if you duck and cover, like Burt [the Turtle], you will be much safer.”
“To protect those who are not able to protect themselves is a duty which every one owes to society.”
“A man wants no protection when his conduct is strictly right.”
Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.
Guardians is an Off-Broadway play written by Peter Morris. It debuted at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning the "Fringe First Award" and made its New York debut on April 11, 2006 at The Culture Project.
Not who you're looking for? Others named Guardians: 1995 video game · album by The Crimson Armada · 2017 film directed by Sarik Andreasyan · 2020 studio album by August Burns Red
Guardians is an Off-Broadway play written by Peter Morris. It debuted at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning the "Fringe First Award" and made its New York debut on April 11, 2006 at The Culture Project.
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.
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.
Karen J. Greenberg—who is Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University's School of Law and the author of The Torture Papers: The Road to Abu Ghraib, The Torture Debate in America, and Al Qaeda Now—praised Morris's play highly, and published an article on Peter Morris and Guardians, in which she claims that the play represents a "truly profound" analysis of America's role in, and response to, the Abu Ghraib scandal. Greenberg's article, entitled "Split Screens", originally appeared in The American Prospect magazine; it is included in a 2007 book of essays entitled "One of the Guys: Women as Aggressors and Torturers", edited by Tara McKelvey with foreword by Barbara Ehrenreich and afterword by Cynthia Enloe. Greenberg's essay concludes with this praise for the play:
"Who, really, are the victimizers? ... The answer is complex, but would come to light with some clarity in an independent investigation or Congressional inquiry ... Until this occurs, however, the American public will have to glean what it can from the words of a playwright." (Greenberg, "Split Screens")
Hywel John - English Boy
MyAnna Buring - American Girl
The play premiered at the Pleasance at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and immediately transferred to The Latchmere Theatre in London. It received a Scotsman Fringe First Award and was the runner-up for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.
Lee Pace - English Boy
Katherine Moennig - American Girl
Note: Lee Pace was nominated for a 2007 Lucille Lortel award for Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role for his performance.
Peter Morris - Writer
Jason Moore - Director
Richard Hoover - Set Designer
Garin Marschall - Lighting
Michelle R. Philips - Costume Designer
Thomas J. Gates - Production Stage Manager
Culture Project - General Manager
(Repeated again on July 28, 2006 as part of the Westival-the Arts Fest of the West.)
James Foster now known as James Garland - English Boy
Rebecca Wearing - American Girl
Peter Morris - Writer
Sebastian Petit - Director
Sebastian Petit - Set Designer
Sebastian Petit - Lighting
Brewhouse Theatre/Robert Miles - Director
Actors
Zack Abramowitz - English Boy
Meryl Sykes - American Girl
Personnel
Peter Morris - Writer
Joseph Giardina - Director
Stephanie Caragliano - Stage Manager
Alex Casagrande - Lighting