The Mercy Seat: A Play

by Neil LaBute

Book Overview

Set on September 12, 2001, The Mercy Seat continues Neil LaBute's unflinching fascination with the often-brutal realities of the war between the sexes. In a time of national tragedy, the world changes overnight. A man and a woman explore the choices now available to them in an existence different from the one they had lived just the day before. Can one be opportunistic in a time of universal selflessness?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0571211380
• ISBN13: 9780571211388
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux-3pl
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Affecting Sept. 11th tale

Leave it to Neil Labute to provide a view of September 11th that has little to do with waving flags and stalwart heroes. On the contrary, his tale deals with people too self-absorbed and cowardly to act in any way other than that which satisfies their own immediate desires. They realize they are in the middle of a national tragedy, and they want to be brave and selfless, but it's not in them. This is a situation that probably occured all over this country in the days following the attacks, but of course was never reported. Deception and adultery don't make good press in a time when we're all supposed to be united and courageous. LaBute shows us the truth, ugly though it is. A worthy read.

Fascinating study of humanity...

...of course, with plenty of LaBute's sometimes heavy-handed misanthropy. I originally began reading LaBute's plays after seeing Bash, and while I'll say that that one is better (everyone should read it!), I'll say that Mercy Seat is second only to that play for honest-to-god squirm-in-your-seat disgust at humanity's...human-ness. Here in America, the gimme-gimme capital of the world, it's easy to pretend you don't see the poor, the sick, and the war-ravaged (especially since they're across the ocean). Then on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 America got a huge wake-up call--we were the war-ravaged for once. The Mercy Seat, set on Wedensday, September 12th, is a multi-layered examination of just how deep our image of concern for fellow man really went in those troubled days. According to Neil LaBute, not very far. LaBute's play is the story of Abby Prescott and Ben Harcourt, two self-absorbed New Yorkers--that is, they were a day ago, before "9-11". Did the tragedy that befell their coworkers, friends, and family change their attitude? Not at all. In fact, their selfishness is what saved their lives; if Ben hadn't been cheating on his wife, they would have actually been at work like he told his wife. With brutal honesty and the kind of cruel, biting wit, LaBute shapes the morning of September 12th and asks the sort of questions many Americans pretend they don't think about: If something doesn't affect you personally, does it affect you? Are your loved ones really more important than yourself? If you could, would you erase everything for the chance to try again--do it "right"--no wife, kids, responsibility?

An hour-long argument

I'm fascinated by arguing and the dynamics of arguments. The part I liked best about Labute's "Your Friends and Neighbors" was the arguing between Ben Stiller and Catherine Keener. That argument only lasted for about five minutes, so the fact that Mercy Seat is an hour-long argument is treat for someone like me. This play has only two characters, and it is extremely fascinating and extremely complex. Ben Harcourt is Labute's typical Aaron Eckhart character. But I think that Abby Prescott's character type is new for Labute. She's a very smart, and seemingly genuine and nice woman. Labute says in the introduction that this is his first play solely about relationships. He does an excellent job. My only recommendation is to skip Labute's introduction to the play until you've read it through once. It's an extremely cool intro, but I feel that it gives away too much of the plot.

A great play

Labute has once again proved to be one of the great authors of the 20th/21st century. His style allows one to grab into characters, not only because of their actions, but because they are one of our own. These people remind of us us. Of ourselves. We see things we do not like, but must understand. The Mercy Seat is just the latest example of an amazing work, but one of the great American authors around today.