"Bent” playwright Martin Sherman, an American Jew born in New Jersey, lost members of his family during the Holocaust. He knew about the sewn on yellow star that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany, but he was not familiar with the significance of the pink triangle.
However, while in London in the mid-1970s, he saw a play by Noel Grieg and Drew Griffith entitled, "As Time Goes By," that chronicled gay life in three historical eras that included Victorian England and Germany prior to the war.
"Bent” playwright Martin Sherman, an American Jew born in New Jersey, lost members of his family during the Holocaust. He knew about the sewn on yellow star that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany, but he was not familiar with the significance of the pink triangle.
However, while in London in the mid-1970s, he saw a play by Noel Grieg and Drew Griffith entitled, "As Time Goes By," that chronicled gay life in three historical eras that included Victorian England and Germany prior to the war.
The pink triangle was a "one-sentence" reference in the play, but it piqued Sherman's interest. He decided to learn more about the hateful symbol with the aid of a very helpful research librarian at London's Wiener Library.
Sherman also read Bruno Bettleheim's 1960 memoir "The Informed Heart" about his time at Dachau. According to Sherman, "The book helped me understand the psychology of being in the camps and greatly influenced my writing."
In "Bent," Sherman tells the story of Max, a self-indulgent gay man who loves the gay nightlife, booze and drugs that flourished in prewar Berlin.
One night after an incident in one of the clubs Max and his younger lover, Rudy, find themselves fleeing from the Nazis.
When "Bent" premiered in London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979, Ian McKellen starred as Max. Later that year the show debuted on Broadway with Richard Gere in the leading role.
In the Taper production Patrick Heusinger stars as Max with Andy Mientus in the role as Rudy and Charlie Hofheimer playing Horst, Max's love interest in Dachau.
Director Moises Kaufman was able to find humor in many instances, despite the tragic nature of Sherman's story about one man's struggle to stay alive at all costs–self preservation "uber alles."
But what sets "Bent" apart is the fact that it is not only a dark tale about survival and redemption, it is also a love story that develops in the midst of unbearable circumstances. "That's why the play has survived all these years," according to Sherman, "because it is a love story."
The sets, designed by Beowulf Boritt, are imaginative and flexible, morphing from Max's apartment to a cabaret club and eventual rising up to form a high walled prison unit in Dachau, complete with a deadly electrified fence.
"Bent," at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A. through Aug. 23. Tickets: $25 to $85. For information call 213-628-2772, or online at www.centertheatregroup.org.
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"Get Hard," starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, is now available on a Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital HD which includes an unrated cut of the film not seen in theaters. The film was directed and co-written by Ethan Cohen who is making his directorial debut following a successful writing career ("Tropic Thunder," "Men in Black 3").
Prison school is about to be in session when mild mannered millionaire hedge-fund manager James (Will Ferrell) is sentenced for fraud and scheduled for a stretch in San Quentin.
But before he heads to jail the judge gives him thirty days to get his affairs in order. In desperation he turns to Darnell (Kevin Hart) for help. He wants him to prepare him for life behind bars.
However James is wrong about Darnell. He is not a former crook who can teach him how to survive in prison, he is a hard-working small business owner who has never even received a parking ticket.
As the two men do whatever it takes to help James "get hard" in order to survive, the two guys discover they were wrong about a lot of things, including each other. The Blu-ray Combo pack is loaded with special features that include: "The Kevin Hart Workout," "Face Off with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart," "Twerking 101," "Inmates: Out of Control," a gag reel, deleted scenes and much more.
The film is from Warner Bros., rated R for crude and sexual content and language, some graphic nudity and drug material.
Another Warner Bros. comedy, "Hot Pursuit," starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara, will be available on Digital HD on July 28. The Blu-ray Combo Pack debuts on Aug.11.
