The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma

"Politicians can often be accused of being dramatic in their rhetoric, but Senator Onaconda Farr has made it an art form. The Rodian political campaigning season is in full effect, and the Drama Council of Senator Farr's government has unveiled their pro-Military Creation Act work."

- Drama Editor Korvit Domesa, on The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma

The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma, also referred to as Trickery, was a play commissioned, funded, and partially written by Rodian Senator Onaconda Farr. Ruris Plin and Hishinu Booj were the other authors of the play, with Booj also its director. Trickery starred Chooru Delb as titular character Vosdia Nooma, Deebo Chak as the main antagonist known as the Soldier, and Fosin Dreed in the "Savior" role as the Paladin. Beata Reesh and Huruni Hune also had roles in the play, and Farr himself made a holographic cameo in the opening night performance as the town's oracle. It was released in 22 BBY to Coruscant's Equator City First Stage as well as those with Core to Mid Rim access tuned to signal RES23.

Senator Farr initially created the play to explain his stance on the controversial Military Creation Act. Farr, who supported the movement, wished to expose, through Rodian Theater, the consequences of ignoring the offer for protection. As such, symbolism and allegory were played heavily upon. Set in the Rodian feudal era and in the town of Yusk, Rodia, the play details farmer Vosdia Nooma's ascension to become baron of the town. During this time, Trickery's antagonist appears and incites the farmers to rebellion. Eventually leading to all-out war, Nooma is presented with the opportunity to use the Paladin's own personal army for protection; Nooma refuses, however, and the townsfolk of Yusk suffer for it as the war rages on.

Description
The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma was a four-act Rodian play produced in 22 BBY. The play was created at the command and expense of Rodian Senator Onaconda Farr for his political campaign, signifying Farr's pro-Military Creation Act stance. As such, the play was rife with symbolism and allegory pointing towards the effects of not backing the movement. Also included, although only fleetingly, were spots in the play where Rodian humor came into play.

Setting
Trickery was set in the Rodian's feudal era in the town of Yusk. Yusk itself was a major agricultural center on the planet Rodia. Main locations featured in the play included the Vosdia Nooma's farm on the outskirts of Yusk and the town center.

Synopsis
The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma begins its first act showing the community of Yusk. A Rodian individual named Vosdia Nooma, a farmer living on his farm outside of town, has his daughter poisoned by a bug-bite from a thistlenit. This act then draws the sympathy of the townsfolk. These people, ranging from the poorfolk to the rich and influential, gather in Nooma's house; the farmer uses this opportunity to begin talking of his political ideals in small talk.

At the start of act two, Vosdia Nooma becomes baron of the town of Yusk, through his skillful and charming manipulation of those sympathizers gathered under his roof. Once in the position, the new baron moved from his farm into the town center. He also chose a new cabinet; while they did not possess much in the way of governing skills or political ability, they were some of Nooma's closest and oldest friends.

Meanwhile, a newcomer arrives to the town. Known only as the "Soldier", this man appears on rothback to the outlying farmers' fields, where he learns of the taxation imposed on the farmers. Finding the levels of grain serving at payment for the tax imposed "appalling," the Soldier encourages the respective farmers to keep more for themselves and their families.

The scene changes to some time after the farmers begin to hold back on their taxes. The people inside Yusk start feeling the pangs of hunger from the food shortages, and begin pleading to Baron Nooma to do something about. Nooma, however, cannot, as he is unable to make the decision under pressure. He consults his cabinet, who also can't decide as each gives their own opinion. This devolves into argument and eventually slapstick fighting. Nooma, towards the end of the second act, leaves the arguing members of his cabinet to take a stroll under the night sky. Once outside, he meets another character, known as the "Paladin," riding on rothback.

Trusting the man, Yusk's baron reveals the troubles occurring under his leadership. The Paladin recognizes this drama as being related to the works of the Soldier, once the Paladin's fellow infantryman. Knowing the Soldier's schemes, the Paladin offers his own personal army to help deal with the "defectors;" Nooma, unwilling to cope with the commitment, refuses and returns to his people.

Acts three and four punctuate Baron Nooma's unwillingness to act with a violent war breaking out between the farmers, stirred to action by the Soldier, and the townsfolk. The soldier's true intentions are shown as he eats the stockpiled grains while the people fight. Meanwhile, Vosdia Nooma searches for the Paladin, hoping to take him up on the offer for the army; he is unsuccessful, only finding a puddle of blood. He takes this chance to lament poisoning his daughter (though it is shown in the opening act that the poisoning was the result of a thistlenit bite, and not intentional).

Vosdia Nooma
Vosdia Nooma, the story's titular main character, begins as a farmer living among the agricultural center of Yusk. Eventually, through a series of events partially orchestrated through Nooma and partially fate, the former farmer becomes the baron of the town. Once in place, he selects a cabinet comprised of those dearest to himself, without regard to their abilities or talents. This comes back later in the story as a hindrance as no one the baron selected can agree or decide on a solution to a crisis. This forces Nooma to leave their bickering, after which he finds the Paladin who offers advice and assistance on the problem; Baron Nooma rejects his offer, leading to the climax of the conflict in war between the farmers and the townspeople.

The Soldier
The Soldier is the story's main antagonist. Appearing after Vosdia Nooma's rule as baron starts, the Soldier approaches the farmers of the community and attempts to create conflict between them and those living in the city proper. This succeeds, and the Soldier watches as each portion of taxes is stockpiled rather than given as tribute. Eventually, the Soldier, seeing the infighting this withholding has caused among the townsfolk, takes the opportunity and incites the people to raid the town. This results in all-out war between the two parties; the Soldier sits back and reaps the rewards of his actions by engorging himself on the stockpiled food.

The Paladin
The Paladin, the "savior" of the play, enters the story towards the end of the second act. Here, he offers the struggling Vosdia Nooma a way to protect himself against the Paladin's former partner, the Soldier, in the form of a personal army. Knowledgeable of the Soldier's tactics, his offering is meant as protection against the coming war; Nooma refuses, however, afraid of committing. The Paladin then leaves.

Conception


With the growing tensions caused by the Separatist Crisis, several senators and other galactic leaders felt that a dedicated army, seperate from the Jedi Order, the protection at the time, was in the Galactic Republic's best interests. To achieve this, the Military Creation Act was proposed to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Senator Onacorda Farr was among those supporting the measure. To campaign towards that end, Farr commissioned a play, resulting in the work The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma. This work, containing large amounts of symbolism and allegory as well as bits of Rodian humor, graphically portrayed the results of not backing the Military Creation Act: large-scale death and destruction caused by the dissidents.

Production
The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma was produced in 22 BBY for the pro-Military Creation Act ideals of Senator Onaconda Farr. Using technologies such as holoprojectors, the result was an incredibly graphic and realistic experience for the audience. Likewise, the symbolism contained within was blatant and clearly revealed Farr's pro-military stance. The play itself contained four acts and lasted a total of four hours.

Casting
The casting, described as well-fitting, was comprised of several key individuals as well as extras in different scenes. Playing the title character, Vosdia Nooma, was Chooru Delb. In fact, his role in Trickery was enough to keep him remembered in popular theater for his ability to rise above the Rodian-influenced humor and symbolics to reach any audience. Starring as the antagonist of the story was Deebo Chak; new to the world of acting, one reviewer characterized Chak's gravelly voiced Soldier as enough to make the four-hour production worth the time. Likewise, the Paladin's performance, by Fosin Dreed, also made the length of the play workable. Beata Reesh and Huruni Hune too performed in the play. A cameo by Senator Farr accompanied the regular actors; he appeared holographically as Yusk's oracle.

Credits
Along with commissioning and funding Trickery, Onaconda Farr also co-wrote it, along with Ruris Plin and Hishinu Booj. Booj directed the play. Further credits to Onaconda Farr included Executive Producer and story.

Release and reception
"Though the dialogue is characteristically stilted, and the symbolism transparent, the play is nonetheless engaging, and will spark discussion on both sides of the Military Creation Act."

- Korvit Domesa reviews Trickery.

The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma opened in 22 BBY on 4:18. It played at Equator City on the planet Coruscant. It also broadcast on signal RES23 for those who could access Core to Midrim shows.

Drama editor Korvit Domesa wrote a review for the Life section of the HoloNet News in volume 531, number 52 of the publication. In it, Domesa reviewed the play piece-by-piece, and described the story details thoroughly. Also in the review, Domesa mentioned several pitfalls in the work, including "characteristically stilted" dialogue and the transparency of the symbolism, as well as the intense graphic violence, typical to Rodian drama, presented in the third and fourth acts. To the latter point, however, the drama editor mentioned the means of conveying this violence through incredibly realistic means by the use of holoprojection were quite impressive; each decapitation and maiming was shown with great clarity. Another key point Korvit Domesa noted in the later portion of the play's acts was the side-story metaphors which were "confusing" and "didn't go anywhere." Even with these criticisms, Domesa gave the work a 7.5 out of 10, citing its engaging ideas, its ability to spark discussion, and the acting talent of its stars.

Behind the scenes
The Trickery of Vosdia Nooma was mentioned by Pablo Hidalgo and Paul Ens in a mock-review for the play in the web-based HoloNet News created to provide backstory for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. In the review, several key moments in the play are discussed in length, helping set the scene for the review.