Skip to main content
Apparently it's easier to stage Driving Miss Daisy in Bangladesh than an off-Broadway political thriller in Portland. At least when the U.S. State Department gets involved.
Local director Allen Nause has been trying, and failing, to stage Ayad Akhbar's The Invisible Hand in Portland for four years. He insists the production deserves genuine Pakistani talent to play two Islamic militants who kidnap American investment banker Nick Bright (Connor Toms) and demand $10 million in ransom. As Bright and his captor, Bashir, grow close, the play turns personal.
"We really get an intimate look at Bashir," Nause says, "so the actor has to live the culture, the religion, the language even."
Luckily, Nause knew just the man for the job. The director worked internationally with Arts America and, directing a Pakistani Odd Couple, he met his ideal Bashir.
Enter Uncle Sam.
The State Department wasn't jumping to import Pakistani men to play terrorists. At first, âpaperwork delaysâ on work visas pushed The Invisible Hand out of its spring 2013 slot at Artists Rep. The Gin Game took over, and Nauseâs dream was deferred until fall. Still, no visas. In the meantime, Akhtarâs Disgraced won the Pulitzer Prize and Akhtar pulled The Invisible Hand to rework it before any more stagings.
That's when State officials spoke up. They denied the work visas because: "Here's their quote: There 'wasn't sufficient need for Pakistani actors,'" Nause reads.
"I decided it was just time to go for it," he says.
Ayad finished rewriting, and Seattle's ACT company asked Nause to direct its production, which won a Critics' Choice Award. With enough clout from the award and ACT's backing, Nause can finally produce The Invisible Hand on Artists Rep's stage. The Portland premiere will feature two actors from Seattle, one from New York, and an Artists Rep resident (John San Nicolas).
The Pakistani Oscar from Nauseâs Odd Couple production did make it to Portland on a travel visa and he coached the cast in Punjabi pronunciation. âMaybe itâs part of his culture or faith,â Nause speculated, âbut his view is that it was all meant to be.â
SEE IT: The Invisible Hand is at Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St. 241-1278. 7:30 pm Wednesdays-Sundays and 2 pm Sundays through April 5. $25-$49.
WWeek 2015