b a c k s t o r y GUANTANAMO HONOR BOUND TO DEFEND FREE DOM

Your behind-the-scenes look at TimeLine productions

yesterday’s stories. today’s topics. message from theartistic director connection pj powers g u a n t a n a mo the play Dear Friends, how to fight a new kind of enemy tell their By Gillian Slovo Directed by Nick Bowling february 11 – m a rch 2 6, 2 0 0 6 and a new kind of war. stories as and Victoria Brittain previews 2/7 – 2/10 Welcome to the second edition of honestly as TimeLine Backstory, and thanks Recently, I’ve had a few people ask Originally produced to great journalist Victoria Brittain and nov- of their public statements. Like the possible and so much to all of you who shared if Guantanamo is a “traditional acclaim in London in 2004 and elist Gillian Slovo to create a piece tribunal plays, as Slovo explains, let you draw comments about our inaugural TimeLine history play” or more of a subsequent hit Off-Broadway, on the detentions at Guantanamo. “only the words of the real people your own edition. We’re thrilled to give a “current events play.” I guess my Guantanamo is based on inter- Over March and April of 2004, the involved could be used.” In decid- conclusions about how these you this behind-the-scenes look response is “yes” and “you betcha.” views with the families of men two interviewed former detainees ing how to structure the play, “I “current events” speak to broader at our work, and we’ll hopefully Surely, it’s increasingly apparent detained in Guantanamo Bay. (four of the British detainees had found that the best way was to questions regarding the history continue to offer new features that the tales of Guantanamo Bay This stirring drama weaves been released in early March), partially describe the journey and future of civil liberties. and insight with each issue. and the “War on Terror” are still together riveting personal stories, unfolding, and it may take quite With a very talented cast and legal opinion and political debate, “People want to hear the truth, not a journalist’s When TimeLine’s company awhile before we gain perspective design team, and in the always- putting a human face on the cut. In the theatre, you sit down and wrestle members first read Guantanamo: on how they’ll influence the wider inspired hands of director Nick world’s headlines and examining Honor Bound To Defend Freedom with an issue.” scope of history. We’ll leave such Bowling, we’re proud to share the divisive line between main- last spring we were blown away —Nicholas Kent, Artistic Director of London’s Tricycle Theatre work to historians and pundits Guantanamo with you. I look for- taining national security and by how the play presents such and leave the conclusions to a ward to seeing you at the theatre protecting human rights. detainees’ families, and lawyers. Victoria and I had gone on to complex ideas and emotions in future generation. But, as theatre soon to continue the conversation. From these interviews, conducted understand what had happened such a simple and personal way. London’s Tricycle Theatre has artists in the here-and-now, in a number of locations such as to these people—picked up and Playwrights Victoria Brittain and Best Wishes, made a name with their “tribunal” TimeLine is drawn to this play be- pubs, hotels, offices, and subur- taken to a place they might not Gillian Slovo conducted countless documentary plays, performances cause it asks us to consider how ban sitting rooms, they construct- even have known existed, and hours of interviews to bring you composed verbatim from the the voice of the individual can ed the play, also including letters kept there for who knows how face-to-face with the detainees, records of trials and reports (such resound in stories of monumental received by the families. Officials long, and to let the play then build families and lawyers who have as the Nuremberg Trial and the and historical significance. PJ Powers in the U.S. and U.K. governments into a more general understand- experienced the good, the bad, Bloody Sunday Inquiry). Nicholas declined to be interviewed, so ing of what this means, not only and the ugly events that have Guantanamo is made up of the Artistic Director Kent of Tricycle commissioned Brittain and Slovo included some for them, but also for all of us.” peppered headlines and ignited words and viewpoints of real a worldwide conversation about history-makers. Our goal is to gillian slovothe & victoria playwrights brittain Post-Show Discussions Backstory Credits South African born Gillian du monde in France and has been the Third World, for many Slovo lives in London. She is a made into a feature film starring publications in Britain and in Join members of the cast and production team for free Dramaturgy & Historical Research by Jennifer Shook. writer whose ten published novels Hilary Swank and Chiwetel Ejiofor. France. She worked at The Guard- post-show discussions on every Thursday starting 2/16 Rehearsal Photography by Lara Goetsch. include five detective novels Her most recent novel, Ice Road, ian for twenty years, most recently and on Sundays 2/19 & 3/12 Design by Rogue Element. featuring the detective, Kate Baier, was shortlisted for the Orange as Associate Foreign Editor. She is a family saga, Ties of Blood, and Prize. She is currently working on currently a Research Associate at Sunday Scholar Series a thriller, The Betrayal. Her family a new novel. the London School of Econom- memoir, Every Secret Thing, was ics. She is a patron of Palestine Following the performance on Bridget Arimond, Assistant Joseph Margulies, Lecturer in Victoria Brittain has lived and an international best seller. Her Solidarity, on the editorial board Sunday, February 26, join us for Director, Center for International Law, The Law School, University worked as a journalist in Wash- novel, Red Dust, set around a of Race and Class, and a Trustee our Sunday Scholar Series, a one- Human Rights, Northwestern of Chicago ington, Saigon, Algiers, Nairobi hearing of South African Truth of Widows Rights International. hour panel discussion with experts University School of Law and London. She has reported Gary Isaac, Counsel working on and Reconciliation Commission, She is on the national executive talking about the themes and extensively from many parts of Guantanamo Bay detainee cases, won the prix RFI temoin council of the Respect Coalition. issues of Guantanamo. Panelists Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw will include:

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Assistant Pres. Franklin In Ex Parte Quirin, The U.S. leases 45

The base at Guantanamo is The fourth Geneva Conven In Johnson v. Eisenberger, the Al-Qaeda attacks U.S.

Feb.square 1903Guantanamo miles offueling land Bayandstation. from water Cuba at to buildFeb. a Roosevelt 9, 19429066, signs incarcerationauthorizing ExecutiveJapanese theOrder of removaloverAmericans. 110,000July and the 31, Supreme 1942President byCourt aFranklin military upholds to commission. try 1943a decision Nazire-ratified, saboteurs by at approximately andcannot the leaseagreement be $4,000.terminated amountment of ofThe isboth thewithoutfixed treaty propertyparties, the or by abandon the U.S. 1949tion extendsagreement andpopulations codifiesonprisoners treatment internationalduring of ofwar. wartime, specific1950 Supreme includingcourt Court systemto ruleshear whodid casesthat not had the U.S.filed have been federal territory. by jurisdiction seizedenemy andaliens held outside1998 embassies with in suicide Kenya bombs.andSept. Tanzania Attorney 11, first2001 General thingmean discussed: John legallypowers Yoo and recalls“Whatof thein terms thegovernment?” did thisof the timeline of events a “new kind of war” the setting the detainees in the playthe players Since declaring a “war on terror” the U.S. from Cuba since 1903, what constitutes “custody” has Ruhel Ahmed training at a base for Al-Qaeda in 2001, the Bush administration is claimed as territory by neither encouraged much latitude in the Formerly known by his neighbors operatives. However, British intelli- has fought several international, country, and therefore a “legal process of “sharing the burden” as an avid kickboxer, Ruhel is now gence checked out the timeframe national, and internal battles over black hole.” Most of the detain- of detention and interrogation known as one of the “Tipton and found that all three men were the rules of engagement. ees have been held in various with third countries, even those Three,” a group of British college working at the Curry’s super- bases (such as Bagram and Abu known as human rights violators. store in Birmingham at that time, The rules that normally govern students from the West Midlands Ghraib) since the October 2001 invalidating their “confession.” All wartime behavior toward prison- who traveled to Afghanistan U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Nine Interrogation and Intelligence three were released and returned ers include U.S. civil law, the in October 2001 en route to a British citizens have been released The arguments in favor of indefi- to the UK with no charges in U.N. Convention Against friend’s wedding in Pakistan. and repatriated to the UK without nite detainment are 1) A policing March 2004. With Jamal al-Harith, (adopted by the U.S. in 1994), Taken prisoner by the Taliban, charges. British residents without function, and 2) To “harvest the Tipton Three brought a and the Geneva Conventions. then taken by the U.S. to Kanda- the benefit of UK citizenship re- actionable intelligence” that may lawsuit against Donald Rums- The Geneva Conventions state har a month later, they wound main, including Bisher al-Rawi and be used to break down terror feld alleging mistreatment. The Actor Bobby Zaman playing that prisoners of war must be up with 3,000 others in a prison Supreme Court ruled in their favor “treated humanely,” and prohibit taken over by the U.S., were taken Bisher Al-Rawi in June 2004, agreeing that their “outrages upon personal dignity” “[We’ve got to] work through, sort to Kandahar a month later, and for a spy. After the fall of the incarceration was unjustified, and (Article 3). Rules also govern qual- Taliban, the Red Cross connected of, the dark side, [use] any means upholding the detainees’ right to ity of living conditions and allow him with the British Foreign Office, challenge their status before an the sending and receiving of mail. at our disposal…” but before his flight out, American independent tribunal. POWs when interrogated are only Special Forces arrived and took —Vice President Dick Cheney on Meet the Press, Sept. 16, 2001 required to disclose name, rank, Jamal Al-Harith (also known him to Kandahar, believing he and serial number (Article 17). was a Taliban agent. He was Major Mori’s (characters depicted networks and prevent future as Jamal Udeen) taken to Cuba in February 2002. However, international treaties are in the play) Australian client David attacks. The FBI has warned the A website designer and school His family learned of this removal negotiated by nations, and terror- Hicks. Recent numbers claim that CIA that they have found intel- administrator from Manchester, from the media. He was released ists by nature operate outside of the U.S. has detained more than ligence gained under torture to be Jamal was born Ronald Fiddler, from Guantanamo in March 2004, state systems. How do states, then, 83,000 people since the launch- incorrect. Some officials have sug- to devout Jamaican parents, and with no charges. He joined the balance security and human rights? ing of its “war on terror” four gested that the misinformation converted to Islam in his 20s. lawsuit with the Tipton Three. years ago. Up to 14,500 of those about WMD may have come from Shortly after a divorce, he had The Joint Task Force at remain in detention and 108 torture interrogations. On Dec. 8, Actor Christian Castro playing gone through Pakistan to Iran for Bisher Al-Rawi Guantanamo: Motto: Honor people are known to have died 2005, Britain’s highest court ruled Ruhel Ahmed a religious retreat, retracing a trip Bisher is the only of the play’s Bound to Defend Freedom in U.S. custody. that evidence obtained under he’d taken years before. He was characters who is still at As of December 1, 2005, the torture is not admissible in any were among the first arrivals at stopped near the Afghan border Outsourcing Torture Guantanamo. When he was a Pentagon admits to holding 505 British court, regardless of where Guantanamo’s Camp X-Ray in by Taliban soldiers, who saw his child in Iraq, his father was arrest- people currently at Guantanamo Although the United Nations it occurred. Anonymous sources January 2002. They confessed to British passport and pegged him ed by Saddam Hussein’s secret po- Bay. Classified as “enemy combat- Convention Against Torture in the Justice Department have lice. After the family emigrated to ants,” these “detainees” are and U.S. law prohibit torture in suggested that the reason Jose the U.K., they decided that Bisher not accorded any status under the U.S. or abroad, as well as Padilla has not been charged “People always ask me how I cope should keep his Iraqi citizenship, international law, leaving them the extradition of non-nationals with all of the plots originally with the difficulties of readjusting so that they might reclaim their out of the reach of civil law or to countries where there are linked to him is that the evidence lands after Saddam’s regime fell. the Geneva Conventions on the “substantial grounds for believing” would require testimony from to normal life, and I answer ‘life is As a 19-year British resident but treatment of Prisoners of War. they would be tortured, linguistic torture interrogations, in CIA not a British citizen, Bisher has not Guantanamo itself, leased by imprecision and the question of prisons whose locations have not no longer normal.’” had the diplomatic power that been disclosed. —

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- White Congress passes CENTCOM directs Congress Bush authorizes Secretary of U.S. begins aerial Camp X-Ray’s Ruhel Ahmed and Jamal al-Harith is Moazzam Begg is

Sept.Joint 14, Resolutionbroad 2001 powersprevention for terrorism.“Use for theas of well Force”—president as Mid-Sept.punishment in House of handlelegal 2001 debate detainees. beginsOct. overtwo 2001 how friendsof towar find wayin Afghanistan themselves tocaptured PakistanForces in whileandfor the atotaken middleonwedding. Kandahar. their byOct. American Theyarrested 2001 are Special gone in Pakistan, for a religious whereOct. retreat. hebombings 7, has 2001 Taliban of interrorist military Afghanistan. training positions camps and Oct.the 17, military 2001tions to Prisonersapply theOct. ofGeneva Waradopts 26, in Conven Afghanistan.“appropriate2001 the U.S.A.and obstruct Patriot tools requiredAct terrorism.”Nov. to provide tomilitary 13, intercept 2001 tribunals. Dec.Defense 27, Naval2001 Rumsfeld Baseplace “Gitmo” describesto hold detainees.as Jan.the the U.S. “least open11, 2002metalworst”ees. cagesRumsfeld explain receive the holds “unlawfulthe aJan. firstpress detain conference combatant”seized2002 abad,from to hisstatus.Pakistan house atin 3AM.Islam the detainees in the playthe ( c on t iplayers n u e d ) interview withthe director process nick bowling D IRECTOR NICK BOWLING deaths of two prisoners, which Just prior to the start of rehearsals for Guantanamo: “We read, we watch, we hear were officially classified as homi- Honor Bound To Defend Freedom TimeLine’s Artistic about atrocities, but we don’t cide. Also at Bagram, he signed sufficiently register it.” a false written confession after a Director PJ Powers (PP) chatted with director Nick Bowling torture interrogation, but neither (NB) about how he was approaching the show. — Gareth Peirce, lawyer for several detainees he nor his lawyer were allowed to see it during his detention. (PP) Have you ever worked on a to make torture tactics illegal) and His lawyer, , freed most of the other British ship with Abu Qatada would play like this, where the issues in the continual attachments to that filed a statement on Moazzam’s detainees. As a Millfield private not endanger him. Yet he was the script are changing each time amendment by the government behalf detailing his physical and school student, Bisher excelled in arrested in Gambia in November you pick up a newspaper? which have watered it down, psychological at Bagram, math and all kinds of sports, such 2002, where he and his brother making it essentially useless. I including forcible head-shav- (NB) No, and it’s very weird and as climbing, deep sea diving, and Wahab and friends had gone to am trying to keep all this new ters. That means we as artists will ing and beating in retaliation a little scary. Usually the plot and flying. He finished a university start a business venture. Wahab, information in our minds without pick away at their strengths and for reciting the Qur’an during a characters’ lives are a sort of set degree in materials engineering a British citizen, was released, specifically adding it on top of weaknesses, and I hope the audi- “no-talking” period. Then he was map that’s ours to discover and but never settled in a career. Dur- but Bisher was transferred to what the authors intended. ence will do the same. moved to Guantanamo. Moaz- decipher. This play, however, is a Bagram and then to Guantanamo zam was in complete isolation for living, moving map. For example, (PP) So a challenge with the play (PP) How important was it for you in 2003. Wahab, a British citizen, two years. The youngest of his Moazzam Begg, who was a is the fact that everyone depicted to cast actors who look and sound was released, but Bisher was four children was born during his detainee at Guantanamo in the in it is a living person, and the like the people they are playing? transferred to Bagram and then isolation. He was released January play has since been released and lines in the play are their words to Guantanamo in 2003. He was (NB) It was important but not the 25, 2005, with three other Britons, is now doing lectures throughout from letters and interviews. Does not allowed to see a lawyer until most important thing. First of all, with no charges. At a conference England about his mistreatment that scare you, to be given the January 2005. In August of 2005, looking and sounding like a Muslim in London in November 2005 he there. And the laws pertaining task of interpreting what they Bisher joined the protest hunger from Iraq is a very subjective thing. told reporters, “People always ask to torture, the treatment of the meant and re-telling their stories? strike that still continues. I initially planned to find actors of me how I cope with the difficul- detainees and the very status of (NB) It’s a huge challenge to flesh the same ethnicity of the charac- ties of readjusting to normal life,” the detainees is being argued and Moazzam Begg out living characters. We have to ters, but when it came down to it, Begg said. “And I answer life is no changed on a daily basis. Moazzam was born in Birming- interpret them in a way…other- we had a very difficult time finding longer normal.” ham, U.K., to British-Pakistani When the play was conceived in wise this would be a very strange those people. And what is most Actor Sean Nix playing Jamal Al-Harith important in all casting, I think, is parents. From a young age, he Actor Hunter Stiebel playing early 2004, the details of some of re-creation. Our interpretation will who can best represent the char- was a campaigner for human Moazzam Begg the torture tactics (physical/sex- be a key part of the production. ing a military hearing, Bisher said rights and civil rights, and in 2001 ual abuse) being used were less It has to be and it’s very risky acter. So sometimes, that means he had translated for Abu Qatada he left his store in Birmingham known publicly and have very little stuff. The actors portraying these an actor who is say, Iraqi, may not (a Palestinian refugee in London, and took his family to Afghani- focus in the play. The play centers people need to make decisions have been cast to play that char- whose sermons had been found stan to start schools. He took his more specifically on the inhuman- about their styles, their inflections, acter because an actor of Latino in the flat of Mohammed Atta, family to safety in Pakistan after ity of ‘detaining’ people for years their intentions. We could just try dissent captures that person more one of the September 11 hijack- September 11, but in January without charging them specifically to repeat what happened in the believably. This gets into the very ers; Qatada has been called 2002 he was seized at his house or letting them defend themselves interviews, but that’s not theatre. murky waters of “non-traditional Bin Laden’s “right-hand man in Islamabad at 3am. He managed in a court of law. Since then, of And if people are looking for casting” and is a debate unto itself. in Europe”) for meetings with to hide a cell phone, and called course, our attention has really that, I think they would just want Suffice it to say, we saw many British Intelligence and the British his father in London from inside been centered on the torture to see or hear the tapes and skip strong actors of various ethnicities police. He has repeatedly claimed the trunk of a car. While held at question with the creation of the this production. I’m interested in for the production and I cast the that MI5 assured him his friend- Bagram, Moazzam witnessed the McCain amendment (attempting exploring these people as charac- best person for each role. I avoided

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Ashcroft an Operation Iraqi General Bush decides that General Geoffrey Rumsfeld approves Jamal al-Harith The suicide attempt Chicago-born Jose The more permanent Wahab and Bisher

Feb.Taliban 7, 2002be and entitled Al-Qaeda to GenevaMay prisoners Padillaprotections.2002 will is not arrested May at O’Hareand 2002 somewhat Delta,Airport. replacesbuilt cleaner by Halliburton,Camp Camp Sept.X-Ray. nounces 11, requirements2002 newprimarily immigration arrested for Arab non-citizens roundedregistration countries.when they up from Hundredswhen comeNov. they toal-Rawi register,are2002 do not.are and or arrested theirBanjul, business by Gambia. local partners intelligence in Nov.Miller 4, 2002 institutesnarrowsand the “rewards” interrogators. distinction systemsDec. between Military and2, 2002guardsinterrogation Intelligence techniques.useMar. of harsherFreedom 19, 2003 begins.Aug. Geoffrey 31, “Gitmoize”2003 Millertechniques goes it by to importingAbu developed Sept.Ghraib interrogationtotal atto 2003 Guantanamo. among detaineesMarchand reaches the2004Ahmed) Tipton 32. and areThree they released, (including return with to London.Ruhel no charges, determining guilt vs. innocence. I hope people come away from Do you agree? this with more than a hatred for Guantanamo. I hope people are (NB) My focus is not at all about thinking about how we have come the guilt or innocence of anyone to a point where so much of the at Guantanamo. I know this is a world despises us. How we can rather bold statement, but ulti- find safety and security without mately, the issues at Guantanamo resorting to torturous interroga- are about the rights of all people, tion tactics. About how far they whether innocent or guilty. themselves are willing to go to Frankly, the play as written is pri- get to the truth. About how you marily focused on the innocence would have handled the aftermath of the detainees incorporated of 9/11 differently and if you are into the play, but to present a Actor Sean Nix playing Jamal Al-Harith willing to forgo any violation of play which attempts to defend civil rights whatsoever to prevent innocent people is only doing half that day and remind the audience the job. We’re preaching to the about their own feelings at the left choir if we do that. The real time. Were you afraid of another challenge is to defend the rights terrorist act? Were you afraid to of the guilty or the presumed stand up against the Patriot Act guilty and there are surely some and those friends and neighbors guilty people at Guantanamo and who agreed with it? What were Cast and crew during the initial reading of Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom possibly in the play. you willing to do? Were you willing to detain one person to prevent Who is really on trial in the play asking about an actor’s ethnicity (NB) It is, and a play constructed For me personally, it will be odd another attack? How about detain- is not the detainees, but America while casting because I wanted from all monologues can be to never rehearse with more ing 550 people? As a majority, we itself, and the decisions we have it to be about the actor and the very difficult to hear and to stay than one person. And I can’t reinstated an administration who made as a country. These choices character…not race. Others may involved with. But Victoria Brit- really ‘block’ the play except to we knew would break the rules are a direct result of America’s have done it differently, but this is tian and Gillian Slovo, the artists say…stand here, sit here. We’ll to make us feel safe and bring feelings about 9/11. I want to how I believe I can best serve the behind creating this piece, have see if I can’t find a little more than the terrorists to justice. It seems a Actors (left to right) Anil Hurkadli, start the play by taking us back to play. All of the actors are convinc- edited it so beautifully that the that, but mostly, this is a play of little crazy to me that we hold the Hunter Stiebel and Vincent P. Mahler ing in the roles they are playing, audience will feel like there is very powerful words and ideas. president and his people solely in rehearsal. Scenic Designer Brian Sidney Bem- and I would be interested in dialogue. They have woven these responsible for this mess. We are (PP) I suppose we could talk bridge presents a model of the set for another terrorist attack on Ameri- hearing from audience members several stories together in the equally responsible for it and for on-and-on about how this play Guantanamo to the cast. can soil. And what if it had been to see if they agree or not. general timeline in which they finding a way out of it. is different from what TimeLine the Sears tower — how would that occurred, but the eloquence of (PP) The play is primarily a series audiences have come to know you Only recently have we begun have affected your opinions. the characters’ language and the of inter-weaving monologues and for. But it seems to me that there down that path…but it isn’t easy. passion with which they tell their Ultimately, this is what TimeLine there aren’t many instances where are some similarities thematically I ask the audience to take this play stories, along with the careful Theatre is all about — putting as people are actually talking to to other plays you’ve directed. as testimony in the case against and poetic editing of the authors much information in the audi- one another or ‘playing a scene’. Hauptmann comes to mind as America. Listen to it with open has made a piece of riveting and ences’ hands in order that they Stylistically, that seems very dif- another very personal play that minds as a jury would. This is a exciting theatre which has played may create informed opinions. ferent from the type of plays you was more about the question of much too complicated issue for around the country to raves. normally work on, isn’t it? justice and probably less about black and white responses.

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reports on Al-Qaeda or Victoria Brit “60 Seymour Hersh Jamal al-Harith Moazzam Begg is A federal court New Yorker The CIA releases Ger The U.S. Supreme The British House

Guantanamo: Honor Bound

Marchchestrated 11,Madrid, 2004 commuterand Spain wound kill train more more bombingsMar.-Apr. than thantain 190 1,400. in and peoplefor Gillian 2004the To play SlovoDefend conduct Freedom.April interviewsMinutes 28, detainee 2004II” reportinfamous abuse breaksvestigators at photos Abu thepublished Ghraibstory hadJan. beenof13, hisprison. and secretgivenMay Gen. The toreportbegins 10,Tagubain on 2004widespreada seriesFeb.had 25. of abuseMay at manAbu 2004 Ghraib.citizenhim for KhaledAfghanistan, five months Masri,someone aftersimilarbelievingin Macedoniaelse holding name. with he wasa and JuneCourt 2004 upholdschallenge dent the their tribunal.detainees’ status Oct.before rightand toan27, indepenthe 2004against Tipton Rumsfeld. Three beginDec. lawsuitof 2004 Lordssuspects rules human that without holdingto rights, do trial so foreign yet atviolates BelmarshBritain terrorJan their continues 25,prison.released, 2005 with threeJan. other judge31, Britons. 2005rulesare unconstitutional thatdo thenot process Pentagonsatisfy because minimumrequirements. tribunals they due- “It is undoubtedly from 9/11 onwards a new situation and modern terrorism involves far greater risks to the public. But, in my view, it is even more important now that one must stand by human rights law, respect the treaties. The need for them has not been lessened but increased.”

— Lord Justice Steyn

(PP) Your productions have (NB) The design team and I each of these people are essen- always stretched the boundaries really wanted to create 12 very tially giving testimony. of how to re-imagine the space individual spaces for the 12 actors Originally, the characters that at TimeLine. Thinking of The Cru- because three of them are in cells are not at Guantanamo were in cible, Gaslight, Hauptmann, The at Guantanamo and the rest of a non-descript, black, theatrical Lion in Winter, the list goes on them were interviewed individu- other-world… but I wanted to and on, you and your designers ally. Each character is in a sort of be very specific about where the have always created dramatic and box that reflects the place where interviews actually took place. provocative physical relationships they were interviewed (an office, One interview of a man who was between the actors and the audi- a home, a hotel lobby) and they detained for 28 days and whose ence. Tell us a little about your also suggest a witness stand, since brother is still being detained approach for Guantanamo.

Director Nick Bowling (at left end of table) addresses the cast, designers and full The actors and production team delve into vast amounts of research during their first week of rehearsals. production team before the first read-through of the play.

at Guantanamo took place in a the musical Fiorello!, which is, shall about 2 plays at the same time. London pub. I thought that was we say… a very different type of I start having nightmares where fascinating and should be a part play. How are you balancing those all the characters start intertwin- of his scenes. He reveals in that two feats? ing and it’s awful. I wish I had a pub that he has considered put- better answer, but that’s the truth. (NB) I’m ignoring Fiorello! right ting on a suicide belt. I imagine a Guantanamo is an enormous now and that’s about the only way waiter walking over to the table at job — not in terms of blocking or I can balance them. Don’t worry, that moment or a pop song play- concept… but in terms of research we’ve done a huge amount of prep ing in the background. It’s much and examination. I think we’re at work on Fiorello! (as you know, more exciting to me. a really good place though with an we’re pretty much cast…including amazing cast and design crew. (PP) Of course, while you’re start- a smashing actor in the title role) I can’t wait to get started. ing rehearsals for Guantanamo, so that we won’t get behind the you’re also in pre-production for eight ball, because I can’t think

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Sen. Richard The White House An FBI memo A hunger strike U.S. citizen Jose story reporting The Senate passes The Washington The Supreme An amendment to A team of UN

retracts the story. Newsweek , 2005

publishes a story alleging a network May attacks14, 2005that a a Qur’antoilet byNewsweek has Guantanamo been flushedMay guards. downon 26 Eventually,aabuses ties) (includingreignites at Guantanamo. furor religious overJune insensibili allegedDurbin 21, torture of2005apologizes other at for repressiveGuantanamoNazis his comparisonand regimes,the to Soviets.Aug. actions includingbegins 11, of 2005theatthe Guantanamo conditions;200 detainees at in its protest highOct.participate. point ofSen. 5, 2005Johnbill amendmentMcCain’s 90-9. The promisesdefense banning White spending to House tortureveto. Nov.Post 2, 2005of secretEastern CIA jails Europe. throughoutNov. Court 7,Asia 2005 agreesandconstitutionality springto hear 2006. a caseof military onNov. the tribunals the 11, Military 2005detainees’ in Authorizationfederal habeas courts corpus Bill passesNov. which petitions thePadilla bars22, Senate out for2005is charged ofa49-42. “dirty to him. asbomb” a terrorist plotDec. —previously butexperts 5, not 2005 Guantanamolinked suspend were a scheduledimposed Bay after upon visitsevere totheir restrictions access. Non-ProfitOrg. Postage US PAID IL Chicago, 3483 No. Permit 15 W. Wellington Ave. Wellington W. 15 6 Requested Service Forwarding Chicago, Illinois 60657 Illinois Chicago, b a c k s t o r y Your behind-the-scenes look at TimeLine productions

guantanamo: honor bound to defend freedom february 11 – m arch 26 Previews 2/7-2/10 Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm | Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm | Sundays at 2pm

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February 2006 March 2006 regular performance Su M T W Th F Sa Su M T W Th F Sa 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 2 3 4 preview performance

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 opening performance (sold out) 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 brief post-show discussion with cast & 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 production crew 26 27 28 29 30 31 sunday scholar series: a one hour post-show panel discussion with experts on the themes and issues of the play