"Attempts on Her Life" will challenge actors and audiences alike to break down social norms tonight and tomorrow in Wish Theater. Written by Martin Crimp, it tells the story of Anne, a woman who may or may not be created by Hollywood. The audience is never sure of whether she is real or fake, dead or alive, hockey mom, girl-next-door, or terrorist. With a strong focus on the media, the play explores the dilemma of determining what is real in the age of global capital and media culture.
Details of the show have been kept from the Bowdoin community.
"At the first rehearsal we said, 'The first rule of Fight Club, is never talk about Fight Club,'" explained director Roger Bechtel, associate professor and chair of the department of theater and dance.
Why maintain the aura of secrecy?
"There's a danger in sharing information about the show," Bechtel said. "Intellectually, it's serious and it has the potential to scare people away. As a performance though, it is extremely engaging. It condenses our experience of living in the world of capitalism and media, and touches on topics as broad as terrorism and pornography."
The script itself presented certain challenges as well. Written without characters, without a traditional plotline, and with only dashes to indicate a change of speaker, it was up to Bechtel to decide how many people to cast and what role they would play.
"I was looking for certain qualities in my actors," Bechtel said. "Each person brings something different to the show. Overall, I was looking for a sense of fearlessness."
Actor Khalil LeSaldo '11 said that the play expects much from its audience, as well.
"Expectations are given to the audience at the beginning of the scene, then taken away," he said. "The show is ultimately asking, 'How real are we beyond the social representations of us?'"
Although the show touches on issues like gender, pornography, and terrorism, Bechtel said that it was hard to name a central theme, apart from the media.
"All of the smaller themes funnel into bigger ideas, like 'How do we form our identities in this world where consumer capitalism creates so much of our desire?'"
With all of the commentary on pop culture and social representations, it only seemed natural to incorporate different forms of media.
"We have created a complete media environment," Bechtel said. "We have four video projectors, two live cameras, and six TVs. It is a completely immersive experience for the audience members."
"Attempts on Her Life" involves issues that are prevalent at Bowdoin and other colleges, according to Bechtel.
"Media is so omnipresent, Bowdoin doesn't stand out in that regard," he said. "However, I think that the idea of consumer culture and capital, what we desire and why we desire it, plays a much larger role here and at all colleges."
Bechtel emphasized the strength of the cast.
"Despite all of the media, it is a great actor's show. The acting is strong," he said.
The director and cast will host a talk-back after each performance and encourage those interested to stay and discuss the show.
"Attempts on Her Life" will be performed tonight at 7 p.m. as well as tomorrow at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Wish Theater. Performances are free and open to the public. Seating is limited, and tickets are available at the Smith Union information desk and at the door.