It is hard to tackle a subject such as campus rape in America and get the tone right. Lynda Radley does just this. She expertly shifts between voices, presenting a detailed and clear cacophony of words that explore every conceivable aspect and opinion in a complicated rape case. It is hard to describe just why the production was so successful - was it the incredible soundscape written by Michael John McCarthy, or the astonishing acting from a group of young performers? I think the real success of Pepperdine Productions lies in their handling of a subject matter so vast and terrifying that putting it on stage seems nigh on impossible. Pepperdine Productions achieve the impossible.
Pepperdine Productions achieve the impossible
What is incredible about the writing in this production is that Radley does not shy away from the voices of those who seem to condemn the rape victim - classmates, policemen, news reporters, etc. It is difficult to listen to these voices, and when the ensemble cast start reading out abusive online comments, you might recoil in your seat at the amount of public vitriol that surrounds cases such as these. The production itself has been expertly directed, with slick scene transitions, and an ensemble that work together seamlessly.
The cast were extraordinary, and special mention must go to the girls playing the police officer and journalist respectively, for their outstanding multi-roling and believable characters. Radley presents so many different sides to the case that we slowly begin to understand that everyone has their own agenda - even the well-meaning journalist and the career-hungry professors on the university panel. Radley handles these voices delicately, building them up so that they drown out the voice of the victim, showing how, tragically, it becomes about other people’s agendas, social media and money. This is a devastatingly brilliant piece of theatre; definitely a company to watch.
