Less exposition, more slaughtering of rapists

Tonight’s play, “Black Diamond,” started off with a life-threatening case of the expositions. It’s a common disease, but it’s particularly bad when the exposition in question is just stuff you don’t need to know. Boring journalist main character and supporting comic relief photographer exchange chit-chat about their pointless back stories, and get into some sort of internet flame war about oppression. It took far too long for the title character, a Liberian rebel leader, to bust in the door and start gunning down rapists. Which is what the public really wants to see.

Anyway, the show has potential, not to mention some great actors, but it needs a major slice job. The next time I see a play featuring an American journalist in some war-torn region, I’d like to see them use their J-school skills and gracefully elide themselves from the story.