The Mercy Seat - Softcover

Labute, Neil

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0881456918 ISBN 13: 9780881456912

Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing, 2016

Synopsis

Set on September 12, 2001, THE MERCY SEAT continues Neil LaBute’s unflinching fascination with the often-brutal realities of the war between the sexes. In a time of national tragedy, the world changes overnight. A man and a woman explore the choices now available to them in an existence different from the one they had lived just the day before. Can one be opportunistic in a time of universal selflessness?

“There is no playwright on the planet these days who is writing better than Neil LaBute … THE MERCY SEAT is … the work of a master.” —John Lahr, The New Yorker

“An intelligent and thought-provoking drama that casts a less-than-glowing light on man’s dark side in the face of disaster … The play’s energy lies in LaBute’s trademark scathing dialogue.” —Robert Dominguez, Daily News

“Though set in the cold, gray light of morning in a downtown loft with inescapable views of the vacuum left by the twin towers, THE MERCY SEAT really occurs in one of those feverish nights of the soul in which men and women lock in vicious sexual combat, as in Strindberg’s DANCE OF DEATH and Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?” —Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“[A] powerful drama … LaBute shows a true master’s hand in gliding us amid the shoals and reefs of a mined relationship.” —Donald Lyons, New York Post

“Uncomfortable yet fascinating … THE MERCY SEAT makes for provocative theater — sharp, compelling and more than a little chilling.” —Michael Kuchwara, Newsday

“LaBute’s intriguing [new play] is most compelling when it is daring to look into [a] character’s heart to explore the way self-interest, given the opportunity, can swamp all our nobler instincts.” —Charles Isherwood, Variety

“In THE MERCY SEAT … LaBute has given us his most compelling portrait of male inner turmoil.” —Brendan Lemon, Financial Times

“LaBute [is] the dark shining star of stage and film morality.” —Linda Winer, Newsday

“Sharply funny and incisive SEAT is not a response to September 11, but a response to the response to September 11 — an emotionally jarring consideration of the self-serving exploitation of tragedy for personal gain … Perhaps it’s time we stop thinking of LaBute as a mere provocateur, a label that condescends to an artist of grand ambition and a nimble facility with language. With this gripping … new drama, he probes deeper than he ever has before.” —Jason Zinoman, Time Out New York

“A nihilistic yet brutally honest work … As complex and unfathomable as human motivations … THE MERCY SEAT is haunting.” —David A. Rosenberg, Backstage

“LaBute risks offending contemporary sensibilities by using a historic tragedy as his turning point for a drama regarding a morally empty American … [THE MERCY SEAT is] controversial and compelling.” —Michael Sommers, The Star-Ledger

“LaBute … is holding up a pitiless mirror to ourselves. We may not like what we see, but we can’t deny that — if only in some dark corner of our soul — it is there.” —Jacques le Sourd, The Journal News

 

About this title

Review

"There is no playwright on the planet these days who is writing better than Neil LaBute . . . "The Mercy Seat" is . . . the work of a master."
--John Lahr, "The New Yorker"
"An intelligent and thought-provoking drama that casts a less-than-glowing light on man's dark side in the face of disaster . . . The play's energy lies in LaBute's trademark scathing dialogue."
--Robert Dominguez, "Daily News"
"Though set in the cold, gray light of morning in a downtown loft with inescapable views of the vacuum left by the twin towers, "The Mercy Seat" really occurs in one of those feverish nights of the soul in which men and women lock in vicious sexual combat, as in Strindberg's "Dance of Death "and Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"?"
--Ben Brantley, "The New York Times"
"[A] powerful drama . . . LaBute shows a true master's hand in gliding us amid the shoals and reefs of a mined relationship."
--Donald Lyons, "New York Post"
"Uncomfortable yet fascinating . . . "The Mercy Seat "makes for provocative theater--sharp, compelling and more than a little chilling."
--Michael Kuchwara, "Newsday"
"LaBute's intriguing . . . new play . . . is most compelling when it is daring to look into [a] character's heart to explore the way self-interest, given the opportunity, can swamp all our nobler instincts."
--Charles Isherwood, "Variety"
"In "The Mercy Seat" . . . LaBute has given us his most compelling portrait of male inner turmoil."
--Brendan Lemon, "Financial Times"
"LaBute [is] the dark shining star of stage and film morality."
--Linda Winer, "Newsday"
"Sharply funny and incisive "Seat" is not a response to September 11, but a response to the response to September 11--an emotionally jarring consideration of the self-serving exploitation of tragedy for personal gain . . . Perhaps it's time we stop thinking of LaBute as a mere provocateur, a label that condescends to an artist of grand ambition and a nimble facility with language. With this gripping . . . new drama, he probes deeper than he ever has before."
--Jason Zinoman, "TimeOut New York"
"A nihilistic yet brutally honest work . . . As complex and unfathomable as human motivations . . . "The Mercy Seat" is haunting."
--David A. Rosenberg, " Backstage"
"LaBute risks offending contemporary sensibilities by using a historic tragedy as his turning point for a drama regarding a morally empty American . . . ["The Mercy Seat" is] controversial and compelling."
--Michael Sommers, "The Star-Ledger"
"LaBute . . . is holding up a pitiless mirror to ourselves. We may not like what we see, but we can't deny that--if only in some dark corner of our soul--it is there."
-Jacques le Sourd, "The Journal News"

LaBute's intriguing . . . new play . . . is most compelling when it is daring to look into [a] character's heart to explore the way self-interest, given the opportunity, can swamp all our nobler instincts.

LaBute [is] the dark shining star of stage and film morality.

-Jacques le Sourd, "The Journal News"

LaBute risks offending contemporary sensibilities by using a historic tragedy as his turning point for a drama regarding a morally empty American . . . ["The Mercy Seat" is] controversial and compelling.--Michael Sommers, The Star-Ledger

LaBute . . . is holding up a pitiless mirror to ourselves. We may not like what we see, but we can't deny that--if only in some dark corner of our soul--it is there.--Jacques le Sourd "The Journal News "

There is no playwright on the planet these days who is writing better than Neil LaBute . . . The Mercy Seat is . . . the work of a master.--John Lahr "The New Yorker "

An intelligent and thought-provoking drama that casts a less-than-glowing light on man's dark side in the face of disaster . . . The play's energy lies in LaBute's trademark scathing dialogue.--Robert Dominguez "Daily News "

Though set in the cold, gray light of morning in a downtown loft with inescapable views of the vacuum left by the twin towers, "The Mercy Seat" really occurs in one of those feverish nights of the soul in which men and women lock in vicious sexual combat, as in Strindberg's "Dance of Death "and Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"?--Ben Brantley "The New York Times "

[A] powerful drama . . . LaBute shows a true master's hand in gliding us amid the shoals and reefs of a mined relationship.--Donald Lyons "New York Post "

In "The Mercy Seat" . . . LaBute has given us his most compelling portrait of male inner turmoil.--Brendan Lemon "Financial Times "

A nihilistic yet brutally honest work . . . As complex and unfathomable as human motivations . . . "The Mercy Seat" is haunting.--David A. Rosenberg "Backstage "

There is no playwright on the planet these days who is writing better than Neil LaBute . . . The Mercy Seat is . . . the work of a master. John Lahr
, "The New Yorker"

An intelligent and thought-provoking drama that casts a less-than-glowing light on man's dark side in the face of disaster . . . The play's energy lies in LaBute's trademark scathing dialogue. Robert Dominguez, "Daily News"

Though set in the cold, gray light of morning in a downtown loft with inescapable views of the vacuum left by the twin towers, "The Mercy Seat" really occurs in one of those feverish nights of the soul in which men and women lock in vicious sexual combat, as in Strindberg's "Dance of Death "and Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"? Ben Brantley, "The New York Times"

[A] powerful drama . . . LaBute shows a true master's hand in gliding us amid the shoals and reefs of a mined relationship. Donald Lyons, "New York Post"

Uncomfortable yet fascinating . . . "The Mercy Seat "makes for provocative theater "sharp, compelling and more than a little chilling.""

LaBute's intriguing . . . new play . . . is most compelling when it is daring to look into [a] character's heart to explore the way self-interest, given the opportunity, can swamp all our nobler instincts. "Charles Isherwood, Variety"

In "The Mercy Seat" . . . LaBute has given us his most compelling portrait of male inner turmoil. Brendan Lemon, "Financial Times"

LaBute [is] the dark shining star of stage and film morality. "Linda Winer, Newsday"

Sharply funny and incisive Seat is not a response to September 11, but a response to the response to September 11--an emotionally jarring consideration of the self-serving exploitation of tragedy for personal gain . . . Perhaps it's time we stop thinking of LaBute as a mere provocateur, a label that condescends to an artist of grand ambition and a nimble facility with language. With this gripping . . . new drama, he probes deeper than he ever has before. "Jason Zinoman, TimeOut New York"

A nihilistic yet brutally honest work . . . As complex and unfathomable as human motivations . . . "The Mercy Seat" is haunting. David A. Rosenberg, "Backstage"

LaBute risks offending contemporary sensibilities by using a historic tragedy as his turning point for a drama regarding a morally empty American . . . ["The Mercy Seat" is] controversial and compelling. Michael Sommers, The Star-Ledger

LaBute . . . is holding up a pitiless mirror to ourselves. We may not like what we see, but we can't deny that--if only in some dark corner of our soul--it is there. Jacques le Sourd, "The Journal News""

Book Description

The Mercy Seat by Neil LaBute presents the brutal realities of the war between the sexes, and explores whether one can be truly opportunistic in a time of universal selflessness.

Edition details

• Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0881456918
• ISBN 13: 9780881456912
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 72