With an ample supply of flying and crushed fruit, vulgar language, overt emotion and graphic defamation of virtue, the Senior One Act Plays were presented in the Lower Depths Theater on Dec. 4 and 5.

The first play of the evening was “Three Americanisms” by Mac Wellman. Right from the start, it was quite clear the language was purely symbolic and open for interpretation. The figurative speech used was at times difficult to understand but manageable. The play consisted of three monologues.

The first was given by a soldier, English junior Matthew Driscoll, who is finally fed up and has decided to go AWOL. Driscoll gave a striking performance conveying the intense feelings of anger, fear and confusion experienced by a soldier in emotional turmoil.

A reporter who has experienced a change in political position from agreeing with a war to disagreeing with it. General studies freshman Elliot Sanchez platted a man who is tired of his original message being changed once it is sent to the mass media. Elliot portrayed the subtle nuances of the character with expressive vigor and demonstrated great aim as he chucked a piece of orange directly into a costar’s head.

The final monologue was performed by Daiva Olson, drama senior, and portrayed a refugee who tries to be herself and express her culture but eventually conforms to spare herself from being ostracized.

The actors used fruit, vulgar language and gestures of varying degrees to powerfully demonstrate resilient feelings.

The second play, “The Wreck on the Five-Twenty-Five” by Thornton Wilder, was not the most exciting, or even marginally interesting, play.

The main point of the work seemed to be the search for a new way of seeing things and how the unattainable seem so much better, but in reality that it is all the same.

Yet this was so obviously reiterated, it became a dull event, contrary to the possibly thought-provoking subject which was so blatantly reiterated and tediously presented.

The actors seemed to try as best they could to make it an enjoyable and enlightening experience working with the materials the script provided them, but it was just too much.

They were forcing their actions and portrayal of emotions so persistently that it became a banal demonstration of inadequately developed characters and a weak plot.

There is no other way to describe the experience of seeing “The Rape of Lucrece” by William Shakespeare as anything but amazing, astonishing and incredible.

The emotions and feelings exhibited by the actors throughout the play were remarkable. The play’s central focus is that of the premeditated rape and suffering of Lucrece through a shockingly graphic depiction.

Kevin Smith, an English writing junior, as Tarquin, Lucrece’s attacker, superbly displayed jealousy and lust, as well as inner turmoil and the ultimate defeat of self-control.

In the later part of the play, as Collatine, her husband, Smith demonstrated the agony of loss and hunger for revenge experienced by someone so seriously wronged.

Jessica Lucas, a drama/communications sophomore, did an amazing job in fluidly and eloquently reciting an endless steam of Shakespearean dialogue while expressing the serious tone and mood of the situation as the narrator.

The clear standout of the play was Lucrece, depicted by Meghan Collins, drama freshman. Lucrece’s fear, anguish, pain, regret and deep emotions were portrayed with striking beauty.

One could sense not only her true terror and fear but could also understand the immense amount of shame suffered by the title character.

It is difficult to describe such a performance as anything but breathtaking, which only added to the beauty of the play.

Tara Templeton can be reached at [email protected]