With babies born from bottles, individualism being shunned and psychoactive drugs substituting for actual human emotion, W.T. Woodson’s "Brave New World" filled its theater with frightening images of a dystopian future in a solid performance based on the controversial Huxley book.
"Brave New World," an adaptation of the novel by Aldous Huxley, gives alarming portents of a future society where "everybody belongs to everyone else" resulting in a scientifically pre-designed culture, in which everything ranging from where an individual will work to what they will look like is decided before a child is "decanted." This society is questioned when Bernard, a researcher, brings John, considered by them as a "savage," into "civilization" for study, leading to the exposure of the system’s flaws as well the play’s climactic ending.
Brendan Rice (John the Savage) stood out for his solid acting skills as he transposed his Shakespearean lines into a modern application, as well as his ability to act as a foil to the rest of the cast. Cassy Byrne (Linda) made a lasting impression through her characterization of the aging and emotionally unstable mother of John and showed commitment to her choices from her first appearance on stage to her shocking death. Gracen Carroll (warden) delighted the audience through his humorous physicality and speech, providing some comic relief in an otherwise serious play.
Taking full advantage of the futuristic setting of the play, Woodson’s Projection Team broadcast student-designed and created animations using 3D animation software, and though sometimes distracting to the major action of a scene, the projections added authenticity to the performance.
From Alpha to Epsilon, actors in W.T. Woodson’s "Brave New World" gave solid portrayals, both entertaining and disturbing to the audience, as the play’s horrific predictions of a "cookie cutter" society unfolded.
"Brave New World" will also be performed this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Don't miss it.