Who is better suited to write a drama for the world of the stage than a diplomat? Making its world premiere for a limited engagement, Jan. 19-28, at the HERE Arts Center in New York City is Carne Ross' The Fox.

Playwright Ross is currently the First Secretary of the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations uses the experiences he has encountered in his travels to fuel this work. A man who has seen London and Zimbabwe in his youth, then Germany during the breakup of Yugoslavia and the ethnic cleansing of Bosnia, also saw more of the world during his time in the Foreign Service.

His play follows a young peace-keeping British soldier returning from a barbaric ethnic war overseas and finding he has become disillusioned with society. Ross credits the inception of this play on the philosophical essay "The Fox and The Hedgehog" by Sir Isaiah Berlin.

Royston Coppenger directs the production for the first-time writer with a cast that includes Mason Phillips, Martin Millier and Simona Morecroft. The designers are Meganne George (sets and costumes) and Rych Curtis (technical/video design).

Performances of The Fox can be seen at HERE, 145 Sixth Avenue (between Spring and Broome). Tickets can be reserved by calling (212) 647-0202. You can also visit HERE's website at www.here.org for more information. — by Ernio Hernandez