The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning

Bradley Manning preparing to
leak information to WikiLeaks

Inis Nua Theatre Company is presenting  the American Premiere of The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning through May 15 at its new home in the Proscenium Theatre at the Drake, 203 South Hicks Street, adjacent to the Drake Hotel at 1512 Spruce Street. This powerful portrayal of Pfc. Bradley Manning was written by Welsh playwright Tom Price. Manning spent time in Wales after his parents’ divorce; this gripping fictionalized docudrama travels back and forth between Bradley’s time in a Welsh school and his time in the US Army and the brig. Never able to “fit in” wherever he appears, the character of Manning perhaps cannot fit into the life that is portrayed in the script.  It is left to this extraordinary ensemble cast of Trevor Fayle, David Glover, Campbell O’Hare, David Pica, Johnny Smith and Isa St. Clair to take over the role of Bradley Manning; a task that each of them accomplishes exceptionally well. With the flick of a pair of black-rimmed glasses, Manning is just one more non-entity among the recruits, albeit one who makes his mark with a bad rap for disobedience.  Manning is ridiculed and scorned beyond endurance for being gay. Due to his excellence in computer skills he becomes an intelligence analyst. When the sergeant, brilliantly depicted by David Glover, (Specialist in the US Army Reserve) does not appreciate Manning’s zeal in mentioning that civilians rather than insurgents are being destroyed, another piece of Manning, too, is destroyed. Locked in room with sensitive materials flashing before his eyes for hours on end seems too much to bear. And thus the idea of sending a few images to WikiLeaks is born, followed by many more. Manning is held in solitary confinement with sleep interrupted every few minutes before being sentenced to military prison for 35 years. . To get tickets for this heart-wrenching tale of the life of one individual who grappled with being a bit different, call 215-452-9776 or visit online at inisnuatheatre.org.