The Tampa Tribune gave the show a glowing review today:

“Jobsite Theat[er] could not have picked a finer show than “Embedded” to close out the 2007-08 season. Written by Tim Robbins, this was, by far, Jobsite’s best production … “Embedded” is a creative, original and intelligent play that lingers long after the curtain goes down.” – The Tampa Tribune

It’s interesting, the Trib review has already drawn a lot of comments that bring up Jane Fonda, Michael Moore or threaten subtly with violence or use the standard “shut up and entertain” defense. I’d also be willing to lay money none of those folks have or would actually see the show.

The Times review was a little less kind, primarily to the source material, but was nothing other than complimentary about the actual production:

“… the script and the production both fare best during the very human vignettes … A touching opening scene has soldiers saying goodbye to their loved ones as they go off to war. One of the few ethical reporters, played appealingly by Meg Heimstead, recounts with fear and sadness an errant bomb attack. A fictionalized account of the Jessica Lynch story, with a poignant performance by Betty-Jane Parks, is perhaps the show’s most profound and effective anti-war statement … Some of the best acting comes during those repeated segments with the presidential advisers. Even though the actors’ faces are hidden behind masks … their gestures are phenomenally evocative.” – St. Pete Times

I will say I’m a touch concerned that Marty thought the material was dated. At five years old, and with us still in the middle of it with many of the issues the play raises still unresolved – it just struck me as incredibly cynical. Worrisome, even. Maybe that’s where some folks are though, over the whole thing. I can’t consider that much subterfuge, that much scandal, that much bad behavior from both my government and the media and that much death as something that strikes me as nostalgia just five years later. As someone with family over there fighting, as someone with friends who have people over there and who have lost people over there – this is still all quite fresh to me.

Yes, the play ends roughly around the “Mission Accomplished” flap, and well, it’s a not a bad place for it to end. Look at all that’s come since. Many of the things Robbins brings up in the script was attacked for being BS liberal propaganda at the time, even though it was all heavily rumored to be truth or at least solidly rooted in truth – and a lot of those things have come to light as actually being factual since.

Embedded focuses on how it all began. We can still impact how it all ends.

I have a bad feeling and a little bit of data to back it up that Fay has sucked a bit of the wind out of our sales (har-har), from Sunday no-shows by people preparing to the impossibility of competing with 24/7 Jerve-vision, it’s going to take some effort of getting the show back on folks’ radar.

If you’ve already been out, could I ask you to pass us on to a few friends who would appreciate the work? If you haven’t been out, can I please twist your arm into coming this weekend?