A Dream Play

Despite its sleepy-sounding title, the Barnard Department of Theatre's upcoming production of August Strindberg's A Dream Play should be anything but soporific. The show tells the story of the unnamed daughter of Indra, the Hindu god of war and weather, who comes down to earth to learn about human suffering. Although its plot seems simple, A Dream Play is complex and purposefully unrealistic. As Strindberg writes in his preface to the script, in the world of the play, "Everything can happen, everything is possible and probable." This ethereal element is precisely what director Diane Paulus wanted to emphasize in her production. "Strindberg believed that life is a waking dream, and that's the experience I wanted to create for the audience," Paulus says. The director "hate[s] to give away" all of the surprises her Dream Play has in store, but reveals that "[the audience will not] sit in the seats they normally would sit in." Another innovation can be found in Paulus's casting-a group of only 13 actors will be portraying the nearly 40 characters in Strindberg's script. With this promising blend of classic drama and theatrical ingenuity, chances are this will be one Dream from which you won't want to wake up. -Hillary Busis