A MUST WATCH: Rashim Cannad: “An Inconvenient Truth”

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

On Sunday evening, the Victory Theater presented “BackStory: An Inconvenient Truth,” an evening of monologues by writers and poets that in some way invoked or alluded to Al Gore’s film of that title. I had gotten to know the work of this theater through being part of one of their shows about a month ago, in which the theme was “The Ten Commandments.”

While there was in particular one very memorable poem by Francesca Bell that made use of an oven’s pilot light as its central metaphor, the show-stopping piece on Sunday was a monologue by Rashim Cannad that should be watched by anyone who wants to understand exactly what is at stake right now.

ABOUT RASHIM CANNAD:

Rashim Cannad’s account of the birth of his first son and the challenges of raising him in a way that gives him a maximum chance of survival in a racist nation indeed speaks to “an Inconvenient Truth.” The problem described by W.E.B. DuBois over a century ago is still one that all too many Americans want to pretend will get sufficient attention if protests are peaceful. Well, yes, the protests must be peaceful if enduring change is to take place, but the protests must be relentless. There is no use to speak of compromise. There is nothing to compromise about. White patriarchy must surrender unconditionally. Only an unconditional surrender of power will suffice to begin to rectify the brutality of this nation’s patrimony. Period. Rashim’s narrative does not make this demand, but after listening to him I see no other option if there is to be any legitimate requital.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

“BackStory is a bi-monthly evening of true stories, poetry, and flights of fancy produced by the Victory Theatre in Los Angeles. The theme is always the title of a classic play or movie. This show’s theme was An Inconvenient Truth.” Produced by Carl Weintraub and Adele Slaughter.

“An Inconvenient Truth,” written and performed by Rashim Cannad

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