Stuff and Loathing: 'Stuff Happens'

IN 2038, David Hare's play "Stuff Happens" will be a wonderful history lesson. It will be faster than reading Bob Woodward's books and cheaper than college.

But in 2008, the speeches, press conferences and dinner parties the dark comedy offers word-for-word remain too fresh to resonate. We know the story's beginning, middle and end already. Heck, we already know the words.

Though it suffers from being a historical drama about very recent history, Olney Theatre Center's adaptation of Hare's play about the Bush administration's run-up to a second Iraq war is nonetheless beautifully done. Facsimiles of Bush (Rick Foucheux), Rummy (Jeff Allin), Blair (Steve Schmidt), Rice (Deirdre LaWan Starnes) and many others are presented sublimely. Hare is British, and his play also focuses on Europe's rancorous slide into the Iraq war.

There is much discussion of the wording of U.N. resolutions, the adventures of Hans Blix, Tony Blair's political troubles and so on. The French — major players, here — prove themselves to be dirty rats, betraying the honorable Colin Powell.

Woodward-like, Hare takes us deep into the warrens of power — War Cabinet meetings where the advisers advise and the decider decides — and Powell (Fred Strother) is the play's white knight. The passion of Colin Powell — the most popular American political figure of the day, he is told — is the play's spine.

"Stuff Happens" proves the rule that "exhaustive" is all-too-often exhausting — it weighs in at nearly three hours of narration, reenactment and speechifying. Take your grandson and teach him about the Powell Doctrine. Don't give away the ending.

» Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md.; through July 20, $25-$48; 301-924-3400.

Written by Express contributor Tim Follos
Photo by Stan Barouh