Bent serves as a reminder of society's slippery slope of judgment and persecution toward a group of people because they are different.As part of its new contemporary series, the Long Beach Shakespeare Company will debut Bent, an award-winning drama by Martin Sherman, on Friday, Sept. 3 at 8pm. Performed for the first time in Long Beach with Co-Artistic Director Denis McCourt directing, Bent will be performed at the Expo Backroom Theatre, 4321 Atlantic Ave., through Oct. 9.
Bent debuted on the West End in London in 1979, starring Ian McKellen, before its Broadway premiere in 1979, starring Richard Gere. Later productions featured performances by classically-trained actors such as Paul Rhys and Ralph Fiennes.
Bent offers a disturbing and unfathomable account of the persecution of gay prisoners during World War II. The title of the play refers to the slang word “bent,” used in some European countries to refer to homosexuals. The play’s significance is that prior to it being produced onstage there was very little awareness of Nazi persecution of homosexuals. The play’s success helped spur awareness and historical research in this area. And in the end, Bent is a story of self-acceptance and is a reminder and cautionary tale of any society’s slippery slope of judgment and persecution toward a group of people because they are different.
“We are privileged to bring Bent to a new audience,” said McCourt. “In consideration of recent events, to bring to the stage a story about homosexuality and acceptance is a great honor. We hope our performance will increase the audiences’ awareness and change their perceptions and acceptance of others based upon their differences.”
Bent contains nudity, sexual situations and stage violence. This performance is not recommended for children.
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