2008 Woodie Awards
Privileged youth going nowhere fast
Kelsey Smith
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: Arts
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The choice of Freeman International Center (FIC) as the setting for the show was a particular stroke of genius, whether it was intentional or a matter of space due to the prodigious amount of theatre produced at the end of J-term, and set designer Maria Galvez '06.5 should be commended for her success in turning a dining hall into a studio. The awkwardness of the space conveyed the trapped feeling one gets from living in small apartments. The fact that the audience was so close to the actors and the actors' ability to perform without acknowledging the audience members left viewers feeling like voyeurs into this life that exists in spades behind the doors of the Upper West Side.
The dynamic between Warren and Dennis is a definite power struggle that left us wondering if Warren would ever be able to find himself in a relationship of any kind that was not abusive in some way - "I'm like the basis for half your personality," Dennis tells Warren. While Warren is physically abused by his father it is clear that Dennis' constant teasing has left an impressive emotional scar. When Warren tried to bring this to Dennis' attention, Dennis replied, "We all talk that way - it doesn't mean anything." There was a definite obsession with "youth culture" intermediated by a specific way of speaking that was used throughout the play. This "youth speak" was never abandoned and even made its way into the director's notes. This way of speaking, unique to young city-dwellers in the '80s with a new brand that exists today, showed us that Warren and Dennis were man-children each in their own way.
Though Dennis was on his own while Warren was still forced to deal with his father on a daily basis, it was implicit that Dennis relied heavily on his (artistically famous) father for financial support. The suitcase of childhood memorabilia that Warren carries around represents his child-like qualities to a certain degree, though it should be understood as a lot more. With a pained expression continually plastered on his face, Willie Orbison '08 was more than convincing as the neurotic, confused Warren, his character easily manipulated by the booming baritone of John Rayburn '06.5. There was a certain vulnerability added to Orbison's performance by Veracity Butcher '09, who played Jessica, a cute FIT student who sleeps with Warren, and helped him realize that perhaps he could follow someone besides Dennis around.
The cast and crew of This is Our Youth created an evening of theatre that didn't feel like one, and I mean that in a good way. From the location to the luminous duck in the corner to the soundtrack of The Smiths and Bowie, we glimpsed into our future, some of us glimpsed into our past, and were greeted with smart, convincing performances that were clearly guided by sound direction with an ultimate vision on the horizon.
The dynamic between Warren and Dennis is a definite power struggle that left us wondering if Warren would ever be able to find himself in a relationship of any kind that was not abusive in some way - "I'm like the basis for half your personality," Dennis tells Warren. While Warren is physically abused by his father it is clear that Dennis' constant teasing has left an impressive emotional scar. When Warren tried to bring this to Dennis' attention, Dennis replied, "We all talk that way - it doesn't mean anything." There was a definite obsession with "youth culture" intermediated by a specific way of speaking that was used throughout the play. This "youth speak" was never abandoned and even made its way into the director's notes. This way of speaking, unique to young city-dwellers in the '80s with a new brand that exists today, showed us that Warren and Dennis were man-children each in their own way.
Though Dennis was on his own while Warren was still forced to deal with his father on a daily basis, it was implicit that Dennis relied heavily on his (artistically famous) father for financial support. The suitcase of childhood memorabilia that Warren carries around represents his child-like qualities to a certain degree, though it should be understood as a lot more. With a pained expression continually plastered on his face, Willie Orbison '08 was more than convincing as the neurotic, confused Warren, his character easily manipulated by the booming baritone of John Rayburn '06.5. There was a certain vulnerability added to Orbison's performance by Veracity Butcher '09, who played Jessica, a cute FIT student who sleeps with Warren, and helped him realize that perhaps he could follow someone besides Dennis around.
The cast and crew of This is Our Youth created an evening of theatre that didn't feel like one, and I mean that in a good way. From the location to the luminous duck in the corner to the soundtrack of The Smiths and Bowie, we glimpsed into our future, some of us glimpsed into our past, and were greeted with smart, convincing performances that were clearly guided by sound direction with an ultimate vision on the horizon.
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