I HIGHLY recommend Now or Later, the play written by Christopher Shinn, directed by Dominic Cooke (now playing at the Royal Court Theatre London).

The Democrats are close to claiming victory in the Presidential election when on the internet, a story starts to break about the son of the President Elect having impersonated the prophet Mohammed at a party at his Ivy League college. All the democrats and advisors are concerned that this story might dominate the important first few days of what should be their presidential victory celebrations and worry about the consequences etc. John Junior (Eddie Redmayne) is bright, articulate, gay and his own man. He believes he is entitled to his own privacy and a degree of separation from the political stuff his parents are so ambitious about and involved with. John Jr is being accused of behaving in anti Islamic way by dressing up as the prophet Mohammed to a party but he explains the reason why he did it - the cartoons which had mocked the prophet were posted at his college and the perpetrators punished, John Jr had written an article for the college magazine defending the right to free speech. In class, he had been rounded upon for what was taken to be his anti-Islamic views. The same people who were criticising him were hosting and going to a "naked" party where all the college kids go completely naked. John and a friend went to this party, John dressed in a t-shirt with Muhammad written on it and a turban on his head made out of two pillow cases and his friend Matt dressed as a well known fundamentalist Born Again Christian preacher, Pastor Bob. Both went to the party to point out the inconsistency of defending Islamic fundamentalism and taking part in a "naked" party. A video of John and Matt at the party gets out (and all on the internet) The Islamic world is understandably offended at the behaviour of their son of the American President Elect and in Pakistan there is rioting. The issue is whether John then makes a public statement of apology as all his dads advisors (and dad himself) are pushing him to do even though he feels so strongly about sticking to his convictions.

With the real Presidential election in the US coming up, this play could not be more topical. Its the best play i ve seen in a very long time.

Has anyone seen it or read about it?