“Dario Fo was known to quote (the playwright) Molière to the effect that while tragedy was emotionally comforting, laughter was defiant.” (Joseph Ferrell, 2003.) This play is as deliriously delightful and funny as it is thought-provoking. Accidental Death is full of what Fo referred to as the “grotesque,” i.e. a momentary mood of defeat or tragedy being surrounded with a joke and/or a moment of hilarity in order to move on quickly from the shock of the relevance of lines. Fo’s inclination toward the grotesque is represented in his work and leaves us in tragic bewilderment and reminds us of the play we are watching by making us laugh. Unfortunately, this hard-hitting comedy continues to be relevant in our society as it calls for the accountability of those who have sworn to protect and serve, and one cannot miss the timeliness of its message. Along with Fo, I am excited by pieces that stimulate a change in our behavior and in our society. He created:
"A theatre, then to awaken consciences, not to amuse (us), to stimulate doubts and discussions, not to perpetrate commonplaces; a theatre to which I feel extremely close, one directly linked to reflection, to the political analysis of society and one which takes its inspiration from it to modify it by means of the fantastic, the ironic, the grotesque (the very forms of theatre)." - Joseph Ferrell, 2003
Furthermore,
"Fo’s aim was quite the reverse of catharsis. His theatre sought to provoke debate, to arouse feelings, to challenge received ideas and invite people to consider new points of view. His audience was invited to take part in a political ‘struggle’…" - Joseph Ferrell, 2003
To learn more about how you can take action, visit LEAP, Law Enforcement Accountability Project: https://www.leapaction.org/.