David Mamet says he wrote a play about Harvey Weinstein
Society seems to be ‘switching modes,’ Pulitzer-winning playwright says, and people ‘start tearing each other to bits’
The American Pulitzer-winning playwright and author David Mamet revealed that he has written a play about the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who is accused of sexually assaulting and harassing dozens of women.
“I was talking with my Broadway producer and he said, ‘Why don’t you write a play about Harvey Weinstein?’ And so I did,” Mamet, who like Weinstein is Jewish, told the Chicago Tribune last week.
The report said that although no production details have been confirmed, “a Chicago stage legend who is now a movie star” has expressed great interest in the lead role in the play, which is titled “Bitter Wheat.”
“I think about this a lot now. I have a bunch of daughters, a young son,” he said. “Every society has to confront the ungovernable genie of sexuality and tries various ways to deal with it and none of them work very well. There is great difficulty when you are switching modes, which we seem to be doing now. People go crazy. They start tearing each other to bits.”
Mamet’s 1992 play “Oleanna” also explored sexual harassment.
Weinstein is reportedly in treatment for sex addiction and is under investigation by British and US police, although he has not been charged with any crime.
He denies having non-consensual sex with any of his accusers.
On February 11, New York state sued Weinstein, his brother and their production company for failing to protect employees from years of his alleged sexual misconduct despite multiple complaints from staff.
The lawsuit came four months after the Hollywood mogul’s downfall over allegations of sexual harassment, assault and rape now leveled against the producer by more than 100 women over 40 years.
AP contributed to this report.
