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Veteran Ensemble Theatre Company: "In Pursuit of Liberty"

By VVAW

Review: "In Pursuit of Liberty," a play written And directed by Jonathan Polansky and performed by Veterans' Ensemble Theatre Company, American Theatre of Actors, in New York City.

The review was written by Sharon Bray and appeared in WIN Magazine; for more information or to subscribe contact Win Magazine, 326 Livingston St, Brooklyn, NY 11217.

On December 24, 1971, 16 Vietnam veterans occupied the Statue of Liberty in order to protest American involvement in Indochina. This action, sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), is the event from which Jonathan Polansky wrote and directed In Pursuit of Liberty, performed in New York City by the Veterans' Ensemble Theatre Company (VETCO).

There are five characters—representing more personality types than accurately portraying the men who were involved in that action. Polansky used the action as a springboard to explore the ways different soldiers view and are learning to cope with their experiences in Nam.

They take the last tour boat to the island, linking up inside the Statue. Michael (Leonard DiSesa) is the self-appointed leader of the group, very much the ex-commander type, giving out orders and expecting obedience. He is the most determined to take a public stand on U.S. involvement in Vietnam, and he was the only member of the group to testify at the Winter Soldier Investigation of 1971 in Detroit. "We are living, breathing proof of what was going on," he says, practicing to his friends the statement he will deliver to the press. "Vets can't forget it (American complicity in Vietnam)...this act is a symbolic act for those choosing not to kill." The final statement was to hoist the American flag upside down.

The unity of the group is shattered by Jack (Ray Robertson) who apparently "crashed" their action. (The original VVAW group was very well-organized and had spent time getting to know each other and planning each move.) Angry, bitter and extremely unstable, Jack comes prepared to fight the police with a grenade, handgun and rifle, convinced that the authorities will try to kill them before dawn so as not to be humiliated before the American public. Micci (Alex Signorello)—between tales of scoring pot for him and his friends in Nam—seems swayed a bit by Jack's extreme paranoia and desperate words. Tom (Thomas Jenkins) is the least defined character; he challenged Jack on several occasions, but doesn't share much of his personal self. Skip (Richard Milanesi) is the most solid character, and also the most convincing. Having returned only seven months ago from Nam, he is just starting to face what happened there, and understand his feeling. Still finding it difficult to express himself, he talks about the "unfocused rage" he feel toward those who "manipulated our lives..We were nursed on honor and duty..then spit on."

And so they rehash the pressures that led them into the war (Tom's father was a soldier in World War II and wanted his son to be a soldier too.) comparing recurring nightmares (Jack has a vivid dream about a block buddy (Shubert Edwards) who he's playing cards with, and who steps on a mine when he goes to refill his canteen), recalling buddies who died, and picturing faces—staring at them, pleading with them to explain why they died, for what purpose. "I'm sick and tired of remembering Nam..they're (the government, older generation)crucifying me for doing what they told me to do." Then they go to sleep anticipating the arrival of the press that next morning.

The press and police hear the veterans' statement and the five are packing up to leave when Jack produced a grenade and pulls the pin. Threatening to blow them up, he cries out in pain and frustration that it's time for him to die, and he'll take them all with him. The four plead that they want to live, and to die now would be to deny young men of the chance to learn by their experiences, and there-by produce another generation of soldiers. They finally convince Jack to let them replace the pin. They continue packing, and suddenly Jack recited: "Yea though I walk through the valley/of death I shall fear no evil..?for the valleys are gone/And only death awaits/And I am the evil." And with that he draws a knife and stabs himself in the heart.

The play is powerful, emotional, important in its portrayal of the destruction of human souls in war, and the need to confront the experience in order to be able to live with oneself.

There are, however, serious problems with the play. The characters are not well-developed. They are either very one-sided or extremely fuzzy. Also, the play doesn't go beyond the individuals to show the political context of the actual takeover. If it was meant to represent the actual takeover, it failed to bring out the strength of those veterans who were involved in the action, and made no mention of the support they received from VVAW groups nationwide. If it wasn't then perhaps a different setting might have been more appropriate.

An important sidebar to the performance was a panel discussion with several people actively involved in VVAW from its early days—one of whom was involved in the takeover. An important issue was raised by one of the panelists, a vet and a psychologist who works with vets in San Francisco, who felt that Jack's death was unnecessary, and would have been stronger had it shown Jack surviving, despite the odds. He felt too much of the mass media capitalizes on the suicides, and doesn't credit the far greater number of vets who are succeeding, through mustering the strength to come to grips with themselves.

VETco was established three years ago as a means "of exploring, reflecting upon and evaluating the American experience in Vietnam" as well as going beyond that experience to other humanitarian and moral concerns. It is supported by several grants public funds and contributions. I feel VETco, and this kind of theatre, provides a valuable opportunity for bringing together veterans and non-veterans, and opening a communication link that has been wrought with suspicion, fear and misunderstanding. Several Vietnam-veteran theater groups have been formed inspired by VETco.

The Vietnam veteran is just beginning to reach out after years of isolation, I think it's time for people in the peace and veterans community to start working together. They will always be the "living proof" of why we cannot afford another Vietnam.