Another live broadcast from the National Theatre Live will reach the island this weekend as Rialto Theatre resumes its NTL Programme. A production by Bridge Theatre Production will be screened starring Ralph Fiennes in David Hare’s blazing account of the life of a man whose iron will exposes the weakness of democracy in the face of charismatic conviction.
Straight Line Crazy officially premiered in London just this year on March 23, directed by Nicholas Hytner and received rave reviews. “It’s a fascinating true story, and an intriguing parable about the nature of power and democracy,” wrote Time Out while David Hare wrote for The Daily Telegraph saying: “What I love about this subject… Is that I’m not giving a handle to the audience, saying: this is the correct way to look at Robert Moses. I hope you go out arguing about him.”
The story to be broadcast live on Saturday at Rialto Theatre follows Robert Moses who for 40 uninterrupted years, was the most powerful man in New York. Though never elected to office, he manipulated those who were through a mix of guile, charm and intimidation.
Motivated at first by a determination to improve the lives of New York City’s workers, he created new parks, new bridges and 627 miles of the expressway to connect the people to the great outdoors. But in the 1950s, groups of citizens at the grassroots began to organise against his schemes and against the motor car, campaigning for a very different idea of what a city was and for what it should be.
Straight Line Crazy
National Theatre Live. Broadcast of play written by David Hare. December 3. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. 7pm. In English. With Greek and English subtitles. €12. Tel: 7777-7745
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