Where Words Once Were, running now at The Scoundrel And Scamp Theatre in Arizona, is a relevant, beautiful, and thought-provoking play about a dystopian future.
At the heart of THE MINUTES lies the bitter debate over the town's origin—a controversy surrounding a long-commemorated event that reveals uncomfortable contradictions under closer scrutiny. What begins as a procedural discussion about a public monument gradually evolves into a broader struggle over whose version of history will prevail and at what cost.
Originally produced in 1977, the play catalogs the common acting adventures and technical mishaps that continue to age well: incidents and anecdotes on and off the stage that only seasoned thespians can truly appreciate. Nevertheless, it serves audiences a healthy dollop of good-natured laughs, thanks to the versatile delivery of two actors fit to embrace Mamet's brisk pace and not-too-subtle snides.