Grounded is a 2013 play by George Brant. The play was written as a solo performance with a single character, but has also been staged with two actors. Grounded tells the story of a female US Air Force pilot who is grounded when she becomes pregnant. Her duties are altered from flying F-16 jets to piloting drones remotely, causing her psychological distress. The play was adapted into an opera of the same name, which was first performed in 2023.
| Grounded | |
|---|---|
| Written by | George Brant |
| Characters | Pilot |
| Date premiered | 2013 |
| Place premiered | San Francisco Playhouse |
| Original language | English |
| Setting | Las Vegas |
Background
editBrant was inspired to write Grounded when he saw a photograph in the New York Times of Major Stephanie Kelsen, a 20-year US Air Force veteran.[1] In the image, Kelsen wears her flight suit whilst visibly pregnant. At the time the photograph was taken, Kelsen did not know whether she would fly again. [2] Brant considered it an "amazing photo" demonstrating the overlap of "maternity, sexuality and the warrior," and it helped provide a pathway for him to explore the dilemmas of drone warfare.[2]
Synopsis
editThe play features a female US Air Force pilot who is grounded from flying duties due to pregnancy. She is ordered to fly drones instead, which she does from a base near Las Vegas. Her targets are thousands of miles away, which causes her to become disassociated and distressed. A major theme is the contrast and boundaries between her home life and her 12 hour shifts in the drone facility. At the end of the play, the pilot intentionally misses a target and is court-martialled.
Performance history and reception
editGrounded had been produced close to 100 times as of 2017. [2] Among these were a two-actor version at the Park Theatre, London in 2015, which incorporated British Sign Language. [3]
In 2015 Anne Hathaway starred in a production of Grounded at The Public Theater, in New York City. In a four-star review, Alexis Soloski of The Guardian described the production as "unnervingly gorgeous and overwrought". Soloski stated that whilst Hathaway is not usually cast in "macho" roles, she "delivers".[4]
Grounded won the National New Play Network's 2012 Smith Prize and a Fringe First award at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[5]
References
edit- ^ Belkin, Lisa (July 3, 2009). "Lessons from a Pregnant Fighter Pilot". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ a b c Trueman, Matt. "'Harder, faster, louder': how drone-pilot drama Grounded shook the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn. "Grounded review – Deafinitely Theatre's drone-pilot drama has double impact". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ Soloski, Alexis (27 April 2015). "Grounded review – Anne Hathaway goes full throttle in one-woman show". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ Lee, Felicia R. (2014-01-23). "George Brant's Play 'Grounded' Brings Him to New York". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
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