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Editorial
In this sweltering summer of intensive political polarization, presaging what’s sure to be a particularly nasty presidential campaign this fall, it’s nice to have the occasional diversion from all of the ugliness that’s been bombarding us on a daily basis.
Such a welcome diversion appeared on the stage of Virginia Military Institute’s Gillis Theater over the weekend with a VMI Community Theatre presentation of “The Foreigner.” This play is a slapstick comedy about a hapless husband who attempts to escape his marital difficulties in a remote Georgia lodge, where he pretends to be a foreigner who knows no English so he won’t have to interact with the other guests.
Charlie Baker, played with aplomb by director Tim Price, finds himself privy to all sorts of secrets and scandals as the guests unknowingly reveal their innermost thoughts during their encounters with the supposed foreigner. The stellar ensemble cast included Tom Oxendine, Linda Gorman, Pete Farnham, David Lee, Kristen Pace, Clay Burch and Andrew Hartless, all of whom adeptly display their comedic chops.
While “The Foreigner” is a slapstick comedy at its core, the play, written in 1984 by Larry Shue, also conveys a serious message about the viciousness of prejudice towards those who are different that resonates very much today – 40 years after it was first presented.
Towards the end of the play, it is revealed that two of the characters are secretively members of the Ku Klux Klan who are conspiring take over the lodge and make it a meeting place for their nefarious activities. These two villains, of course, have no use for the “foreigner” they find in their midst – a central point of the plot.
Similar prejudices, unfortunately, remain a central focus of our current politics. Immigrants, especially those from what are thought to be undesirable countries, are being demonized for political advantage. On the other side of the political spectrum, Scots-Irish descendants are being derided as “poor white trash,” “rednecks,” or “hillbillies.”
In reality, nearly all of us are descended from foreigners. We are a nation of immigrants, which traditionally has been seen as one of our greatest strengths. Hopefully, we can all learn to grasp this simple truth and stop being suspicious of each other by obsessing over our differences.
“The Foreigner” packs a punch, providing a lesson from which all of us can benefit. The VMI Community Theatre did a remarkable job in conveying an enlightening message, while also serving up lots of laughs. We commend the cast and look forward to the theatre’s next presentation in the fall.
