Susana Cook's "The Values Horror Show" was written as a response to the 2004 US election campaign ran by the Neo-conservatist agenda that claimed to protect "family values" and "the sanctity of marriage." While proclaiming themselves as defenders of traditional values in America, the Neo-conservatists did not intervene in matters of murder, war, poverty, and genocide that came along. The show starts with a war. Two armies are fighting for God and they have similar prophets and commandments. It is confusing who is fighting in what army. During the show, the soldiers become the workers who end up confronting Lady Incorporated, a character that represents capitalism. Throughout the play, Cook interweaves American traditional values with the current policies against ethnic minorities other marginalized sectors of American society.

Script

 The Values Horror Show (eng) (173.88 kB)

Excerpt

The stage is empty.

SLIDE SHOW
Music Track 1
We hear Horror Rock and Roll. The performers will get on their knees and pray. They will crawl forward in slow motion. Then they will speed up, in fast praying. Then they will turn and hold their riffles aiming back. A lady with a mask and bloody hands will arrive, looking lost. She will empty the big bucket of blood into a big jar. Two women will hug and kiss, the rest of the group will separate them.

They will end the choreography and place themselves in shooting position facing the audience. They will be two different Armies, but it’s not clear who is from which army.

Soldier Sor - Die in the name of God

Soldier Mis – You die in the name of God

Soldier San - We are fighting for God

Soldier Mis- We are fighting for God too

Soldier Sim - Holy Shit!