NC State’s University Theatre is putting on its latest play in Titmus Theatre called “Anon(ymous),” by Naomi Iizuka. The tale follows the story of Anon, a young refugee separated from his mother. The audience follows Anon’s journey through the United States as he navigates his chaotic surroundings and finds new hope for reuniting with his mother in this take on Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey.”
The first production meeting for “Anon(ymous)” began around the end of July and continued into August, according to Mia Self, the director of “Anon(ymous)” and assistant director of University Theatre.
“We started talking about images that were related to that idea of a journey, related to that more modern feeling of the show and kind of a visual reference for the issues that are really out there in the world today,” Self said.
The constant platforms used during the play are transformed into many different places and scenes with the use of lighting, ambient sound and other crafted props. The stage was transformed into a sweatshop with a cascade of woven cloth released from the ceiling area as well as an underground tunnel with low, blue lighting and a hollow, cave-like ambience.
“There is an image of a dock — a board walk that’s been sunken into the water,” Self said. “It is sunken at various levels and that became the primary guiding image of the set — that idea of a multi-platformed set that was kind of falling apart and into the water — and that the journey would be dangerous, but there was this wonderful place to get to in the end.”
Characters draped in ghostly layers of cloth, the names that Anon goes by, combined with other uses of symbolism and plot events, contribute to a sense of facelessness and anonymity during the show.
“I really enjoyed how well the play was executed and how everything went along with being anonymous,” said Morgan Sanchez, a junior studying civil engineering.
The play follows Anon and his experiences, but the plot is nonlinear and weaves in and out of memories, dreams and events. This nonlinear style posed a challenge to the cast in terms of remembering the sequences of events, according to Self.
“It was nonlinear,” Self said. “It didn’t follow a chronological order. It was much more rooted in the way that memories and dreams work, which meant finding a logical way to remember what comes next was just about repetition.”
“Anovvn(ymous)” presents subject matter that addresses topics relating to the experiences and treatment of refugees and humanitarian issues.
“We’re looking at a tremendous desire to make things very, very simple and reductive, and yet, we live in a very complex world,” Self said. “It’s really hard to stay centered and breathe deeply when you are confronting things that are difficult or confusing. The fact that this show is so very much about watching this young man learn to persevere through was what meant the most to me.”
To get involved in University Theatre, students from any major can audition for roles, work on technical crews or have part-time work. Eleven students perform as characters during in this production.
“They were a fantastic group to work with,” Self said. “A lot of the students were new to the program here, and they have just been so willing to just dive in and to really, really play.”
Anon(ymous) will continue running at Titmus Theatre in Thompson Hall until Sunday.
Anon(ymous)
Where: Titmus Theatre
When: Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
