Spring Break
Oleanna dazzles theater lovers
Andrea Kahn
Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Focus
|
A two person show by celebrated playwright David Mamet, "Oleanna" is a three-act play about gross misunderstandings between a college professor and a failing student.
The play begins with John, played by Travis Moore, a 6th-semester English major, and Carol, Lynnette Repollet, a 2nd-semester English major, discussing Carol's problems in class. The act provides background for the sexual harassment charges Carol presses on John later in the play. As a result, John faces losing tenure, his new house and ultimately his job.
The overall charm of the play comes from the fact that both sides are wrong. However, not everyone in the audience had a hard time choosing who they thought was in the right.
"I found it very difficult not to take sides, even though the whole point of the play was that 'no matter which side you choose, you're wrong,'" said Liz Hocking, 6th-semester allied health major. "Also, I was pleasantly surprised that a two-person play managed to grab my interest. The two actors worked together so well that they didn't need the large supporting cast that most plays rely on."
The shifts in power throughout the three acts created tangible tension in the auditorium.
During the unexpected and violent final minutes, the audience let out a collective gasp of shock and horror.
"I loved the play; what I liked most was that it was one of those plays that sticks with you for a few hours afterwards, and you can't help but talk about it with your friends and try to figure out what everything really meant," said Drew Bligh, a 2nd-semester biomedical engineering major. "I thought the acting was impeccable, and I never thought that I could enjoy a play that much for it having only two characters and no scenery changes."
The set was minimal, so as not to take away from the constant back-and-forth dialogue typical to Mamet. Both Repollet and Moore were natural in their delivery. Director Josh Young, a 2nd-semester English major, was more than happy with the results.
"Being that this was my directorial debut, I was nervous when we first got started. However, the cast members and my stage manager [Kelsea Whittemore, a 2nd-semester math education and theatre double major] were incredible people to work with and they made me feel a whole lot better about what we were doing," Young said. "I had an absolute blast working on 'Oleanna' and I am so proud of everything that we did! The show was a complete success and I could not be any happier about the outcome."
Be the first to comment on this story