John Alex Nunnery
Entertainment Editor
On Sept. 9 and Sept. 10, the MUW Theatre department produced a play known simply as “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit.” Written by Nassim Soleimanpour, a playwright who resides in Iran, the play is shrouded in mystery. When performing theatre usually there are several months of prep put into perfecting an actor’s every word. Not here. With this show, the script is handed to the actor for the first time as the play begins, and he or she is given no information regarding what the show will be about. As stipulated in the rules of the show, if you have performed the show before or have even seen it once before as an audience member, you are barred from being the performer for it ever again.
The first night of the show was performed by Kathy Newman, assistant professor of Theatre at MUW. The second was done by Thomas K. Lee who is an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at the university. I was fortunate enough to attend both showings and was able to analyze how the script took on a different life with both portrayals. Both professors were forced to show their genuine reaction to the material instead of one that is scripted. Newman’s approach was both funny and touching. She allowed herself to show the emotions the show brought about in her. It ended up being the more emotional of the two performances as the gravity of some of the words typed out by Soleimanpour sunk in. Lee was more playful with the material. He would take the time to joke with the audience and was able to harness moments in the show that one would not even think to be funny and made them so. While some of the heavier emotions were gone, the laughs and fun remained consistent.
“White Rabbit, Red Rabbit” is an audience interactive show that requires audience participation. This also lent itself well to the performance, as the people on stage did something different each night even when being read the same directions. I cannot tell you any plot points from the show or else I run the chance of ruining its entire premise, but I can inform you the end makes you leave the theatre with a heavy heart and a need for answers. “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit” is an exceptional show that is forever changing and thus forever unique.