The Siege of Robert D. James
a new full-length play by Stephen Larsen
WHEN: Sunday, May 5, at 2:00 PM
WHERE: Pure Health Bar, 701 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ.
TICKETS: $5 suggested donation
The play examines the last days of Bobby Fischer, who became the U.S. Chess Champion at age 14 and the World Chess Champion at age 29, then disappeared. Short on funds, he resurfaced 20 years later to play the "Revenge Match of the 20th Century" in Yugoslavia, violating U.N. sanctions and an Executive Order of the U.S. Government – and in the process, becoming a criminal, unable to return to the U.S. Using the alias Robert D. James, he is exiled in Iceland, facing his final days under siege from the demons that pursue him still in that frozen land.
"I'd seen clips of Fischer when he was exiled to Iceland and found that even when he was ranting I could still empathize with the human being trapped between his genius and madness," said playwright Larsen. "There was so much human potential there that went tragically unrealized. I'm hoping to give a glimpse into what separates genius, from madness, from the human touch."
This play is part of the New Play Initiative at the recently rebooted Black Box. "We have monthly writers groups, one for writers of all genres, and one specifically for playwrights and screenwriters," said Alexis Kozak, who runs the New Play Initiative. "Stephen Larsen recently joined our writers group and we're proud to be offering this reading of his new play."
