Guardians

A two-person play composed solely of monologue musings on the tortures at Abu Ghraib and their ramifications seems like a tough sell. But Peter Morris’ thoughtful yet charged political play proves refreshingly frank, and far from any prosaic history lesson. We get the point of view of a sleazy British tabloid lackey identified only as English Boy (Lee Pace) and his desire to move up the food chain, and — more harrowingly — of American Girl (Katherine Moennig), a GI jailed for her actions in the prison torment of Iraqis (think Lynndie England). Moennig, known to many as the lesbian rabble-rouser Shane on Showtime’s The L Word, is especially eye-opening, conveying a perfect mix of guile and hayseed vulnerability that recalls the best work of the young Jodie Foster. (Tickets: Call Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100, or visit Ticketmaster.com)