The Eyes of Babylon

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

In 90 minutes, Jeff Key, Marine, Gay, married, Patriot, writer, actor, philanthropist, and activist takes the breath away with The Eyes of Babylon on the Theatre Group’s Theatre On Broadway in the Cabaret Black Box at the New Denver Civic.

Jeff Key in The Eyes of Babylon Photo courtesy of American Junction Productions

Right up front, this is one production, no one should miss. American History, Social Sciences, Political Science teachers and professors should and should want to make sure their classes experience this production. Members of the Armed Services, past and present, families of Armed Service personnel, past and present, people supporting the war, people against the war, politicians of every degree, Gay, Straight, anyone in between, theatre people, political and apolitical, people living day to day, people with a fire built under them, and people looking for a fire to build under them.

Jeff Key has a story to tell, and he does so with agility, humor, heartbreak, richness, poignant thoughtfulness with fired eyes that laugh, cry, and pierce.

Directed by Yuval Hadadi, Key’s movement on stage over, around, and on top of three large black boxes shimmers with a choreographed dance in the celebration of life.

Key wrote The Eyes of Babylon, when with an Honorable Discharge, read his copious notes from journals written while in Iraq. A large screen expands the set into America Junction, Alabama with photos as a baby, his parents, documenting his growing up years, Iraq and the March 31, 2004 CNN interview with Paula Zahn where he used the ban on gays in the military to his advantage, giving voice to opposition to the occupation in Iraq.

With his heart on his sleeve, and soul blazing through his eyes, Key doesn’t play himself in performance, he reveals himself through animated story telling. The story telling encompasses many different languages, from carefully chosen words that laugh and pierce often at the same time, to Greek God body language melting in defeat, bending in sorrow, swelling in pride, stretching in confidence, and standing tall in empowered freedom.

When asked by friends in his company about his sexuality, he remains true to himself, letting them know who he is, never facing opposition. On duty he flirts with an Iraqi who flirts back covering no plus words in sensuality. “Do you have a wife?” “No, do you?” “No”. “Do you have lip balm?” “Kiss.”

Up until his Marine days, he didn’t know who Saddam Hussein or Bin Laden were. With a playful smile, and sharp inflicting eyes, he admits like most of us, he paid attention to that which directly concerned him.

He joined the Marine Corp out of a strong sense of patriotism in 2000. After 9/11, he stood at Ground Zero absorbing the sight into his soul. He became a part of the war on terrorism. In Iraq, he didn’t see that war, he saw humanity squelched.

Connecting playfully with a young Iraqi boy named Mahadi, the impression welded into his heart. He named his Foundation after the youngster. The foundation provides scholarships to armed service personnel offering aid to those dazed by grief, loneliness, bruised from combat fatigued horror, gravitating toward drugs and alcohol to hide the pain, and those entertaining thoughts of suicide.

In spite of conflicting confusion he faced, he became awed over the beauty of the hot dessert, sunrise, sunsets, moonlight. Nature ingrained in him through Cherokee blood on his mother’s side, he carefully watched ants rallying, dong their ant thing. He marveled as a larger ant chased a smaller one off a mound. When the larger one left, the smaller one, no bigger than a grain of rice, returned. Allegories swept through his brain from this small civilization at his feet to the one surrounding him.

Sometimes when he laughs, his eyes pierce with truth. Sometimes when his eyes pierce, his lips form a sly smile. His stories so genuine, so real, so honest, the stage expands and you see what he sees, hear what he hears. The long black box that becomes his vehicle looses its black box exterior. You can see it, hear it, and smell the armored, heavy military vehicle. That takes a storyteller par excellence, which is exactly what Jeff Key is. He takes you to Iraq. He takes you into his confidence, into his private personal thoughts. A master wordsmith, a detailed portrait artist, he paints with soft blending, conflicting, glaring colors. Pastels intertwine with shocking pink, hysterical blue, gloomed gray, and blood red.

He loves the Marine Corp. He loves his fellow Americans, although “most people piss him off most of the time,” His lips drawn firm, his eyes twinkle in humored delight.

He loses himself in the dessert ants until a jet overhead reminds him what brought him to Iraq in the first place. In difficult moments, earphones and music soothe the savage breast. Strains of Raiders On The Storm fill the atmosphere. He videos a mouse in his tent while some of his buddies quench a thirst to kill. He hates himself for videoing instead of saving the small creature.

Jeff Key in The Eyes of Babylon Photo courtesy of American Junction Productions

He meets Mahadi who calls him Mister, Mister. He watches a dog looking for food for her pups. He agonizes over not feeding her. If he does, she’ll hang around. If she hangs around, someone undoubtedly will hurt her or kill her. For some, killing becomes a burning quest.

He creates games, remembering “it is one thing to say what you believe; it is quite another to back it up with your life.”

Douglas, a buddy is killed, and Jeff recites the letter written to the parents. Photos of Iraq flash across the screen; photos never shown on the evening news.

On a hill he studies one of Saddam’s palaces, and it reminds him of the abundance in Babylon. With stark piercing eyes, he stares into the far distance beyond the audience, and you follow his serious gaze in your mind. “George Bush, the Universe does not give you carte blanche to do as you please. The Eyes of Babylon are watching you.”

He takes you into a foxhole into a conversation with a fellow Marine.

An injury forces his evacuation to the United States. He makes light of it. He wants to stay. In a San Diego hospital, his blood boils over the false pretense that took him to Iraq, the illegality of the occupation. Of course, he dreamed of coming home, but not like this. A wry smile crosses his lips as he recalled the deep depression engulfing him, the thought of the weapons of mass destruction that didn’t exist, and entertaining taking his own life.

A decision was made.

In full uniform, he stands at Marine attention reliving the letter he wrote to his Commanding Officer. “Dear Sir: This is the most difficult letter I’ve ever had to write,” With strong words he affirms who he is and what he believes in, that he loves his country, loves the Marines, but…….

With dignity, respect, and honor he plays Taps while photos of rows of caskets covered with American Flags, never seen by the American public flash on the screen. The CNN interview with Zahn encompasses the screen. Taunt, serious he answers her questions with firm pride, and something else.

The sound design and Steve Tangedal’s exhilarating lighting design melds and folds the sounds of guns, trains, aircraft with interchanging blue, green, red, white lights. Key almost becomes like Peter Pan. You want to fly with him only he doesn’t take you to Treasure Island and the Lost Boys who never want to grow up. He takes you to meet a people who want to grow up into the fullness of life without being ravaged by war, illness, and death. Key doesn’t tell you. He shows through detailed illustrations

When push comes to shove, The Eye of Babylon moves beyond Iraq, the war, the Marine Corp, being Gay, it has to do with truth, personal truth, having the courage to live up to one’s beliefs, becoming empowered with one’s own personal freedom wherever it is, however it is, wherever it takes one. That’s his story. That’s his message, and it comes across with thunderous power.

Miss this production, and you’ll wish you hadn’t. Go. Now. Call for reservations. The Eyes of Babylon is more than a play. It is a flight into a universal experience of self-empowered freedom by one who has the courage to live his words.

The Eyes of Babylon
Written by and starring Jeff Key
Directed by Yuval Hadadi