Would You Make It?

 

 Lisa McMullin's Rapture focuses on several issues troubling the planet, and England, these days including over population, depletion of resources, and future technologies. However, the most compelling problem she addresses in her new play at the Etcetera Theatre has to be the justification of human existence.  In the words that follow I will explore key elements of Rapture that support my argument focusing on two memorable moments of the play. In the middle of the performance, once the true purpose of the meeting was revealed a moment that still has me thinking unfolded.. 

All of the characters performing looked quickly at one another. This had to have been a decision consciously pushed by the director, but executed perfectly by the actors. Perhapse because it would in fact be natural instinct if that very moment were to happen in real life. Look right, then left, study the faces of the strangers in the chairs next to me and build up reasons in my own head why they deserve to go over me. This moment was powerful because of the lack of humanity it unveils.   

 Another significant moment in the play was in fact the very end. As audience members we are lead to believe that we are outsiders looking in, but the final words spoken were directly to us, and indeed about us. They left us feeling uneasy and unprotected. They were intense, but as we discussed after the play a bit... unnecessary. For if you were appropriately analyzing the performance it would have been obvious you were included all along. If you were conscious of the thoughts the play gave you would have realized you had really been interviewed with the characters the entire time.