“Far Away,” Willamette University Theatre’s most recent production, was a brilliant political satire, full of emotion and juxtaposition. While the story was surreal, the emotional honesty of the performers kept the show grounded. At times it was chilling; at other moments it was laugh-out-loud funny. The cast was small, the scenes contained and specific, yet they painted a picture of a complex world. Altogether, the show was impeccably executed.
The lights dimmed. The set was simple — just a table, some chairs, and a bucket — all shrouded in an eerie purple light. From the darkness emerged a young girl, Joan, played by Ainsley McClure (’25). The stage brightened, illuminating Joan. She was shaken, shivering as she hurriedly washed her legs. Next entered Joan’s Aunt Harper, played by Basil Doucette (’28). The aunt initially seemed to be a comforting presence. She offered Joan a warm drink and appeared intent on ensuring Joan felt safe in her home, despite Joan’s distance from her parents. However, as their conversation proceeded, an air of uneasiness pervaded their interaction.
First, Joan revealed that she’d climbed out of her window when she’d heard a person screeching outside. Her aunt protested, claiming the sound was likely an owl, only for Joan to reveal she’d climbed down from her perch to see the people in pain. The conversation continued this way: Joan offered a brief snippet of information, hinting at a horrific scene, only for her aunt to wave away her fears, providing a reasonable explanation for the situation. Still, Joan persisted in her questioning, offering information that immediately disproved her aunt’s excuses and gave the audience a greater understanding of the atrocities Joan witnessed.
By the end of the scene, it is clear to the audience that Joan’s uncle is hurting people and her aunt is complicit. This knowledge recontextualizes Joan’s first action. She was washing blood off of her legs, literally wiping away the grime, but symbolically trying to rid herself of her new knowledge of the world’s cruelty. This scene was acted brilliantly by McClure and Doucette. McClure perfectly captured how young children deal with information and the interplay between one’s desire to cope and to clarify.
The next scene, with a grown-up Joan now working in a hat factory, illustrated a similar idea. Joan and her coworker, Todd, played by Olle Wurtzel (’25), bantered and constructed elaborate hats together. Over the course of the scene, the two grew closer as their hats grew larger. Amidst their flirting, Todd confided in Joan about the misconduct and dishonesty within their company. They also discussed “the trials,” a mysterious but ongoing part of their life. The audience got snippets of the trials between scenes. “We specifically in this show took a lot of influence from the Red Scare, so we had clips playing,” Doucette said. These clips provided historical context for the way fear is utilized by the government in times of political oppression and unrest.
After Joan and Todd’s hats were completed, the true purpose of their creations was revealed: a whole parade of hats. (Hats off to the costume department! Or more accurately, hats on.) They were ornate, garish as they sat atop the heads of people dressed in filthy rags. As the lights flashed and music pulsed, a march of prisoners performed a halted dance. Then, the scene returned to Joan and Todd, both gleeful. Todd congratulated Joan, whose hat won best in the parade. Their bliss was momentarily broken up, as Joan remarked on how lovely the other hats were and how she wished they didn’t burn the hats when they burnt the bodies. However, both she and Todd quickly moved on. The violence is part of their world.
The show gave the audience no time to process. The next scene returned to Aunt Harper’s home. Todd, now dressed in military garb, discussed the war with Harper. Everything and everyone is at war: every country, every profession, and even the animals. No one is to be trusted. Todd and Harper don’t even trust one another. Harper chastised Todd for bringing danger into her home by inviting his wife, Joan, to stay with them. Just as in the first scene, Harper is ruled by fear. “My character was based on older women and the way they have been pushed down by society,” said Doucette. “Older women didn't have the same opportunities that we have now, so they live in fear and that really takes a toll on you.”
The scene is tense. When everyone is at war, the threat of violence is constant, even between loved ones. As they discussed the war, Joan pondered when the darkness and silence would get involved in the conflict. Who will rally them?
Then, the play ended. The lights went off. Darkness and silence enveloped the theatre.
The end is abrupt. The play leaves many questions unanswered. Many members of the audience seemed unsure or uncomfortable. That’s the genius of “Far Away.” The story doesn’t provide catharsis or closure. Instead, it provides warnings and a clear anti-war message. “The show serves as a really unique call to action and awareness,” Wurtzel said.
Other members of the cast agreed. “It ends on something that's supposed to inspire,” McClure said. “The show was devastating, but it's not the end. It doesn't have to be hopeless.”
Doucette felt similarly: “I want people to just remember that we are all complicit, but that doesn't make us helpless.”
These messages feel especially relevant in our current ecological and political climate. As the play’s director, Susan Coromel, included in her notes, “Far Away was once an allegory—a fable warning us of a possible future. But 25 years later, it feels disturbingly prescient.” Although the play was “Far Away,” the themes hit close to home.
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