Recent Tragic Events

Most would agree that finding humor in 9/11 seems nigh-impossible. But humor is too essential—to the human condition and to our need to cope with the enormity of the disaster—to discard entirely. That Craig Wright found a way both to be funny and to face the great darkness at the heart of 9/11 is remarkable; that he wrote the script the week after the towers fell is nothing short of amazing. Events, briefly, is a 9/11 romantic comedy that concerns a blind date on 9/12, and mixes heavy drama with such absurd touches as a sock puppet that role-plays Joyce Carol Oates. This bold concept opened to mixed reviews in New York last year (perhaps largely because of Heather Graham’s performance in the lead role). But between director Bain Boehlke and the Jungle’s long relationship with Wright—they’ve produced every one of his previous works—there’s probably no other theater with a better understanding of how to stage Wright’s work. Wright setting his play in Minneapolis is an added bonus—here, perhaps, is the first significant theatrical work about 9/11 to come from a Midwestern perspective. 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-7063; www.jungletheater.com