Last week the Tower Player’s production of the 2004 play “Almost, Maine” shocked some of the more conservative elements of Hillsdale College. Professor of theatre Michael Beyer asked students to come in with an open mind and perhaps leave with the door slightly ajar. Instead, some audience members left visibly offended. Yes, theatre often does expose us to views and concepts that can make us uncomfortable, but in many ways, that is the point of theatre – to make us think.
Two scenes in the play’s second act caused a stir: One depicted same-sex attraction between two men and another implied pre-marital sex between old friends and included a crude hand gesture.
The play handled the topics with grace and class. It’s not uncommon to swear off the opposite sex after multiple letdowns and broken hearts, as the two men in the scene did. And the couple preparing for their night together did so humorously rather than sensually, and left the outcome to the imagination. This mixture of modesty and playfulness portrayed by the actors was commendable.
Not only did the play leave graphic content offstage, but it also required the audience to evaluate their own relationships and perception of love. Shakespeare’s plays are full of 17th-century sexual innuendos (coin in purse, anyone?), and are some of theatre’s greatest art. We spend hours in English classes picking apart the nuances of every word and appreciating what they reveal to us about Elizabethan English culture. So today, instead of running away when faced with ideas contrary to our own, let’s appreciate, analyze and discuss their merit – the same way we would under the guidance of Professor of English Stephen Smith. Students aren’t acting against their consciences when they appreciate this authentic artistic portrayal of life in the 21st-century.