This is funny:

The (Jewish) Defendant in Mamet’s Romance is a chiropodist (no, a chiropractor!) who discovers and proclaims, at the end of Scene Two, in the middle of a vicious (and hilarious) bloodbath of religious bigotry with his (Catholic) Defense Attorney: “I KNOW HOW TO BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST!”

The next day,  only blocks away, two leaders (Jew and Arab) will meet for a summit conference. If he can realign their spines before they start, creating physical and spiritual harmony, agreement will be certain.

I know, it seems ridiculous; but think: What if it were that simple. If not chiropractic, something (nitric oxide? marijuana?) to relax the tensions, let their better instincts rule. Surely both, deep in their hearts, would rather peace than this now seven-decades war.

Alas, we’ll never know—the farce gets in the way. Chaos reigns in the courtroom:  the Judge pops pills, flips out and strips as the argument in the case takes tangents in absurd tirades on politics, the justice system, religion, homosexuality, pedophile priests (the list goes on) until the Prosecutor’s boy friend Bernard bursts in ranting (Bunny in Hawaii) and the peace talks, having begun sans realignment, blow up in filthy epithets.

The question, however, is not whether this particular solution would have the desired effect. Who knows? (It’s worth a try.)

The brutally ironic message Mamet hides beneath this freewheeling farce is that these days so many issues and distractions crowd our culture that real answers to real questions are diluted in cacophony, and world peace is no more urgent than who wins American Idol.

This is serious:

I believe Cold Reads—if anything at this point—can save the civilized world.

(Anybody there?)

I know in my heart that if people got together once a week (or every other; once a month, at least)—like people go to church (or book clubs, poker, ball games, bars)—to read a play, the world would be a better place.