Charles Lang works at a menial job at a factory and lives with his blind sister Rita in an apartment in Chicago during the 1934 Century of Progress world's fair. But he is also an amateur inventor, and the play centers around a machine he designs that can create electricity from distilled water. Seeking to patent his idea, he finds a lawyer, Morton Gross, in the phone book and shows him the machine, but Gross’s motivations seem to differ from Lang’s. Gross recruits another lawyer, Lawrence Oberman, and together they menace Lang and eventually his sister. It is heavily implied that the two of them serve the corporate establishment whose profits Lang’s engine threatens.
By the time Lang realizes he is being taken advantage of, the lawyers have him trapped. He attempts to contact a newspaper reporter, but Gross and Oberman hold his sister hostage to prevent him from telling his story. He then meets a barker at the World’s Fair right before it closes for the night who tells him of a chain letter he has just received, which gives him an idea.
The lawyers try to force Lang into giving them his plans, but he says he no longer has them; the audience finds out from a scene in the newspaper reporter’s office that he and Rita have been killed. The play ends with Bernie, a young friend of the family who has previously shown mechanical aptitude, receiving the plans for the Water Engine in the mail.[2]
Themes
The Century of Progress theme of the 1934 Chicago World's Fair informs that of the play. Technology is interspersed throughout the dialogue as the voices of various announcing figures, over radios, on physical soapboxes, and, in the case of the Chain Letter, of indeterminate origin, reinforce the notion of a rising tide of change as they herald the advent of a new technological era. The superstition represented by the Chain Letter contrasts with its eventual saving of Lang's invention and yet also coincides with it, as both the inventor and the letter seek explanations and justice in a world that often—particularly in the cases of both the lawyers, the knowingly bombastic newspaper reporter Dave Murray, and the Fair itself—seems more intent on flowery rhetoric than on the pursuit of truth or the greatest good of society.[3]
The play plays with the form of daytime radio serials, as its plot and structure, with clearly defined heroes and antagonists, riffs off the suspense thrillers that were popular around the time the play is set. That it was originally written as a radio play positions it as an homage to the genre.[4]
Production
Originally written as a radio play for the NPR drama showcase Earplay, The Water Engine was first staged at The St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago and later at The Public Theater in New York by Steven Schachter. It opened on December 20, 1977 and ran for 63 performances.[5] The cast included Dwight Schultz as Charles Lang, David Sabin as Morton Gross, and Bill Moor as Lawrence Oberman. On February 28, 1978, it transferred to the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway as a double-bill with a short Mamet play entitled Mr. Happiness, and ran for 24 performances. In this production Patti LuPone was featured as Rita.[6] The play was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play.[1]
^ ab"Nominees and Recipients". Dramadesk.org. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
^Mamet, David (1977). The Water Engine. New York: Grove Press, Inc. ISBN0-394-17062-8.
^Brantley, Ben (October 21, 1999). "At the 1934 World's Fair, Speaking the Wrong Language". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
^Callens, Johan (Summer 2015). . American Dram. 14 (2): 39. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
^"The Water Engine: Joseph Papp Public Theater". Lortel Archives--The Internet Off-Broadway Database. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
^"The Water Engine / Mr. Happiness". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
^"The Water Engine (1992)". imdb.com. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
External links
Lortel Archives entry
IBDb entry
IMDb entry
January 20, 2023
water, engine, 1977, play, david, mamet, that, centers, violent, suppression, disruptive, alternative, energy, technology, written, bydavid, mametcharacterscharles, langritamorton, grosslawrence, obermanmrs, varěcmr, wallaceberniedave, murraydate, premiered197. The Water Engine is a 1977 play by David Mamet that centers on the violent suppression of a disruptive alternative energy technology The Water EngineWritten byDavid MametCharactersCharles LangRitaMorton GrossLawrence ObermanMrs VarecMr WallaceBernieDave MurrayDate premiered1977 1 Place premieredOff BroadwayOriginal languageEnglishGenreDramaSettingChicago 1934This article is about Mamet play For other uses see Water engine Contents 1 Plot 2 Themes 3 Production 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditCharles Lang works at a menial job at a factory and lives with his blind sister Rita in an apartment in Chicago during the 1934 Century of Progress world s fair But he is also an amateur inventor and the play centers around a machine he designs that can create electricity from distilled water Seeking to patent his idea he finds a lawyer Morton Gross in the phone book and shows him the machine but Gross s motivations seem to differ from Lang s Gross recruits another lawyer Lawrence Oberman and together they menace Lang and eventually his sister It is heavily implied that the two of them serve the corporate establishment whose profits Lang s engine threatens By the time Lang realizes he is being taken advantage of the lawyers have him trapped He attempts to contact a newspaper reporter but Gross and Oberman hold his sister hostage to prevent him from telling his story He then meets a barker at the World s Fair right before it closes for the night who tells him of a chain letter he has just received which gives him an idea The lawyers try to force Lang into giving them his plans but he says he no longer has them the audience finds out from a scene in the newspaper reporter s office that he and Rita have been killed The play ends with Bernie a young friend of the family who has previously shown mechanical aptitude receiving the plans for the Water Engine in the mail 2 Themes EditThe Century of Progress theme of the 1934 Chicago World s Fair informs that of the play Technology is interspersed throughout the dialogue as the voices of various announcing figures over radios on physical soapboxes and in the case of the Chain Letter of indeterminate origin reinforce the notion of a rising tide of change as they herald the advent of a new technological era The superstition represented by the Chain Letter contrasts with its eventual saving of Lang s invention and yet also coincides with it as both the inventor and the letter seek explanations and justice in a world that often particularly in the cases of both the lawyers the knowingly bombastic newspaper reporter Dave Murray and the Fair itself seems more intent on flowery rhetoric than on the pursuit of truth or the greatest good of society 3 The play plays with the form of daytime radio serials as its plot and structure with clearly defined heroes and antagonists riffs off the suspense thrillers that were popular around the time the play is set That it was originally written as a radio play positions it as an homage to the genre 4 Production EditOriginally written as a radio play for the NPR drama showcase Earplay The Water Engine was first staged at The St Nicholas Theater in Chicago and later at The Public Theater in New York by Steven Schachter It opened on December 20 1977 and ran for 63 performances 5 The cast included Dwight Schultz as Charles Lang David Sabin as Morton Gross and Bill Moor as Lawrence Oberman On February 28 1978 it transferred to the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway as a double bill with a short Mamet play entitled Mr Happiness and ran for 24 performances In this production Patti LuPone was featured as Rita 6 The play was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play 1 The play was adapted by Mamet Steven Bognar Julia Reichert and Martin Goldstein for a 1992 made for cable television movie produced by Donald P Borchers directed by Steven Schachter and starring William H Macy as Charles Lang John Mahoney as Mason instead of Morton Gross Joe Mantegna as Lawrence Oberman and Patti LuPone as Rita Charles Durning Treat Williams Andrea Marcovicci Peter Michael Goetz Rebecca Pidgeon Felicity Huffman Ricky Jay and Joanna Miles also were in the cast It was produced by Amblin Television and broadcast by TNT 7 See also EditWater fuelled carReferences Edit a b Nominees and Recipients Dramadesk org Retrieved 27 October 2014 Mamet David 1977 The Water Engine New York Grove Press Inc ISBN 0 394 17062 8 Brantley Ben October 21 1999 At the 1934 World s Fair Speaking the Wrong Language The New York Times Retrieved 20 October 2014 Callens Johan Summer 2015 Remediation in David Mamet s The Water Engine American Dram 14 2 39 Archived from the original on 2016 03 03 Retrieved October 20 2014 The Water Engine Joseph Papp Public Theater Lortel Archives The Internet Off Broadway Database Retrieved 1 November 2014 The Water Engine Mr Happiness Internet Broadway Database Retrieved 25 October 2014 The Water Engine 1992 imdb com Retrieved 28 October 2014 External links EditLortel Archives entry IBDb entry IMDb entry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Water Engine amp oldid 1120083609, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
