Fall in love with 'The Goat'

"The thing about this play that is really interesting is that it's a single-issue play," said Joshua Williams '07. "It's just four people talking about one thing for an hour and 45 minutes. How much stuff can come out in that amount of time with so much unsaid — I think it's really powerful."

Williams smiled slightly as he said this, and the rest of the cast (Ashley Johnson '08, Max Staller '08 and Shawn Fennell '09) and director, Whitney Mosery '08, nodded firmly. By just looking at their tired but contented faces, I could tell that Theatre Intime had become a home for them.

"The rapport between the cast is incredible," said Mosery. "Their real-life relationships definitely carry over into the scenes that they're playing. It's an unspoken bond."

And clearly, to carry out such a play successfully, rapport is crucial. Edward Albee's "THE GOAT Or Who Is Sylvia?" documents the breakdown that a family, once very connected by love, experiences when the husband, Martin, has an affair with (SPOILER WARNING) a goat named Sylvia.

The plot might sound funny and absurdist; however, it is anything but. This play explores the multidimensional, destructive potential of love.

"Ideas of love are stretched," explained Mosery.

Indeed, the play dives headfirst into almost all imaginable applications of love: love between husband and wife, love between best friends, love between parent and child, heterosexual love, homosexual love and love in the form of bestiality.

The actors all admitted to initially being disgusted by Martin's love for the goat and said they expect the audience to react similarly at first. But, said Williams, who plays the husband Martin, "Although it's such a difficult thing to think about loving an animal, Albee writes the part so well that it's hard not to feel what the character is feeling."

And as I watched the show, I found my views of love and my adherence to its purest forms being changed and extended. This is not just a result of Albee's ingenious writing, which captures the characters' relationships and histories effortlessly through dialogue, but also is due largely to the work of the actors. Mosery's greatest fear in mounting this production was that college-age actors wouldn't be able to "convey emotion that 50-year-old characters would feel after spending a life together," as she said. "But the way their relationships are written, they apply on every level if you have that kernel of understanding. You can reach it, and that's what they did."

And it's true: though the actors' youth was jarring at first, 20 minutes into the play I had completely forgotten about it. Each member of the cast of four is completely immersed in character. Sometimes, particularly considering the play's subject matter, doing so involves taking great risks. Williams cracked, "I offered to shave a bald spot!" It is this endearing eagerness that brought "The Goat" to life. The tension was palpable throughout the show. Never once did the energy or intensity drop, and as a result, I was on the edge of my seat for the entire hour and 45 minutes. I actually felt a visceral response to all the characters' emotions.

The set (designed by Williams) and sound (designed by Will Ellerbe '08) also contribute strongly to the success of "The Goat." Emphasizing red, white, black and strong linear elements, the set reflects the harsh and dramatic tone of the play. Paintings of flowers adorn the walls, reminding the audience of sensuality as well as the sense of smell, which are both key components of the play.

Above all, the actors emphasized that this production has pushed them to grow and change. "This play made me rethink a lot of questions about family," said Shawn Fennell '09, who plays the son, Billy. "Family is kind of a touchy subject with me. Having to face the kinds of questions that I had to face, examining Billy and examining myself and seeing that we're not so far apart, was kind of intense, and kind of scary. But I guess that's theater."

"THE GOAT Or Who Is Sylvia" runs at Theatre Intime March 30-April 1 at 8pm and April 6-8 at 8pm with a matinee on April 8 at 2pm. Tickets are $6 for Students (also Students Events Eligible Tiger Ticket), $10 for Senior Citizens, Faculty and Staff, and $12 for General Admission. Subject matter not recommended for children.

Pros:

Impressive, dedicated performances and poignant subject matter makes for a memorable show.

Cons:

The intensity and rawness of the issues at hand might be too much for some to stomach.