Call for action manifested in Zoo

Author: Eleanor Johnstone

"Courage begins with one voice." That was the line Jacquie Antonson '10 delivered to open "Manifesto for Another World," a play by Ariel Dorman and directed by Nerina Cocchi '10 that was performed in the Hepburn Zoo last weekend. As part of the fall symposium "Faces Behind Human Rights," "Manifesto" was essentially a series of monologues representing victims of gender violence and political injustice that strived to inform and challenge the audience. The individual statements were bound together by the repetition of particularly poignant lines reflecting sentiments of hope in the face of pain.

On a visual level, the theme of individuals emerging from the recesses of suppression was reiterated by the set. A series of sparsely lit wire cage walls and rusty fencing designed by Nick McClintock '08 and accented by the haunting lighting scheme of Anna Solovieva '10 hung throughout the space. Actors crouched behind, hung from and pushed aside these barriers while stepping in and out of the light as appropriate to their monologue.

Certain accounts of approaching squadrons or abused wives were supported by the physical participation of those actors not speaking, who rolled, jumped, marched or fought in the shadows of the individual's memory. Challenging the strength of these individuals was The Man, a smarmy personification of oppressive societal authority. Played by Ryan Kellett '09, this Machiavellian figure shot sarcastic and cynical remarks, rejecting the characters' messages as unfounded, exaggerated and impractical. From his raised seat in the audience, Kellett observed and dismissed the figures and their stories as they were performed within the maze of fencing on stage until, overwhelmed by the steady strength of victims who persevered, he cracked. As part of a daring conclusion, audience members found themselves pulled behind the fences to the back of the stage, where they were addressed under the Zoo's usual fluorescent lighting for the final minutes of the production.

Many might have thought this play to be just another radical statement criticizing the world's problems that, for college students, seem just too tough to crack all the way from Middlebury. Yet I beg such an audience to clear its mind and look again. "Manifesto" takes a look at a variety of experiences without directly identifying or attacking one specific government or culture, but rather reveals the dark sides of nearly every authoritative system. Cocchi emphasized that the play is "beyond human rights Ö it's about fighting against individual fears." According to Cocchi, one of the most remarkable things about each character in "Manifesto" that was foreign to many on campus is the strength it took each one to stand up and say that they would not live as they were told.

"There is a fear in leaving everything you know," said Cocchi.

A scene in which Saila Huusko '10 investigated the murder of a young girl by her family reflected the strict ethics of societies in which "blood cleanses honor." Starrett Berry's '09 appearance as the Dalai Lama complemented Huusko's story by reminding the audience that "there is no point in being discouraged. Feelings of helpless anger only serve to poison the mind, enfeeble the will and embitter the heart. We must place this in context and learn that the basic human disposition towards freedom, truth and justice will eventually prevail."

Perhaps most students have not faced political enemies with guns or endured months in jail, but the development of the individual does rely more on innovation than cooperation. Using personal transformations to contribute to larger causes is an important responsibility that the show addressed. Towards the end of the performance, Sasha Hirsch '10.5 told a story from a seat in the audience. As I turned to watch, I was struck by the artistic double-entendre that was created: not only was a voice coming from amongst the viewers, but in turning to hear his hopes and fears, I was forced to look across at fellow audience members. Although the somewhat distracting light change at the end reduced the impact of the closing lines, the awareness that I was sharing this message with a group of people stretched beyond the curtain call and into the moment when the actors became fellow students once again.

Those who might have attended the performance with a checkbook would have found themselves overly accessorized for the evening. Although many such events give attendees the opportunity to send money to a particular organization, this group felt that doing so might muffle the message they were trying to send. So, then, what was Cocchi's purpose in reminding Middlebury's community of the atrocities that occur outside of our bubble in places where many of us have never been? "To get one person to change their way of thinking and dealing with things," she said.

The company of "Manifesto" struck a chord of commitment to their project, reaching the audience through a human rhythm rather than an animalized war cry. Now it is their turn to watch and see whether we can follow the figures they conjured on stage and, in their honor at least, "just keep moving."