by Nicole Burroughs of Woodgrove High School

The auditorium lights dimmed as the screeching sounds of a plane crash blasted over the speakers. The energy and tension in the air was palpable. From the very beginning, Tuscarora’s production of Lord of the Flies was compelling and hypnotic.

Lord of the Flies was originally a novel, written by William Golding in 1954. It was inspired by World War II and how it changed Golding’s view of humanity. In the play adapted by Nigel Williams, a young British boy Ralph (Amanda Anthony) finds himself on a deserted island after a plane crash, and realizes that he and other schoolboys are the only ones there. What starts as a seemingly fun vacation where they can do whatever they want quickly devolves into madness, with grabs for power between Ralph and Jack (Claudia Hunn), an angry and volatile boy who leads a group of “Hunters” that progressively become unhinged. The pack completely loses sanity when they murder one of the boys and start targeting the rest of Ralph’s group.

Amanda Anthony played Ralph’s role with an exceptional amount of emotional depth, starting off as an innocent and joyful young boy and ending traumatized and damaged. Their character’s emotions were plain on their face throughout the entire play, showcasing inner turmoil and tension. Claudia Hunn as Jack was terrifying and dangerous. Her physicality showcased the arrogance and rage of Jack, and her interactions with the rest of the characters illustrated the power he held, especially towards the end. The dynamic between Anthony and Hunn was incredibly tense and filled with nuance, with both actors fully engaged in every scene and conversation.

The lighting contributed majorly to the mood and setting, with the cyc changing from a light blue during the day to a deep purple at night. Washes of red light during Simon’s breakdown and Piggy’s death added a sinister tone to those scenes. The ambient sounds in the background of waves crashing or birds chirping made the atmosphere more realistic, and the costumes were detailed and symbolic, getting increasingly more dirty and damaged as the boys descended into madness.

Simon’s breakdown on the mountain particularly stood out, with Queen Kincaide’s guttural screams and panicked monologue. She completely committed to the part and her character in that scene, making a frighteningly believable performance. All of the members of the ensemble had their own distinct characters and strong reactions. Alex Jones as Maurice played the tragic role of a boy who was too scared to resist, and Macarthur Maryn as Roger was unsettling with his deranged acting and hair-raising laughter. All of the Hunters had impressive physicality as they became more and more animalistic, seeming like a pack of wild animals hunting their prey.

Tuscarora did an amazing job creating a story that felt real. The whole production carried an emotional weight and darkness to it that showed they truly understood the material. All of it combined to make an experience that was thrilling and suspenseful up to the last second.

photo by Erin Thompson