Brave New World

Summary and

FAQs

Summary

Brave New World is one of the most influential and powerful novels written in the twentieth century. It is one of the best known "dystopian" (implying "nightmare world") fictions alongside George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Huxley tells the tale of a future world where children are processed genetically in bottles rather than conceived 'naturally', and belong to one of five classes according to their intelligence: from perfect "Alphas" down to moronic "Epsilons". Learning takes place by repetition teaching during sleep, but basically this consists of enforcing certain behavior patterns through suggestion. This is backed up by the legal drug 'soma' that pacifies people through a false sense of fulfillment. The story is that of an unhappy Alpha-Plus man called Bernard Marx who is unusual for his genetic caste in being short and unorthodox in his ideas. He has fallen in love with a girl called Lenina, who he takes to an island of 'savages' where he meets a handsome young savage called John. This boy turns out to be the son of a citizen of the Brave New World and Bernard manages to bring him back to 'civilization'. The story follows John as he is treated as a circus freak. John's desire for Lenina that is ruined by his antiquated notions of love that derive from Shakespeare. John becomes the focus of the play as it leads towards its sad conclusion. This is as successful a cautionary tale now as it was at the time of its publication in 1932, and is just as popular. David Rogers’ adaptation of Huxley’s novel successfully accents the themes of the novel while making the story accessible to teenagers and adults of today.

FAQs

Why did you choose Brave New World?

For several reasons. First, it is a play based on the novel of the same name which is part of the English curriculum here at Woodson. Although the novel is much more controversial and contains quite a bit more questionable material in plot, the play adaptation “tames” the novel to make it accessible to a high school audience without losing Huxley’s intended themes and commentary on socio-scientific “progress”. Second, the students in the Theatre Department have been interested in producing a more challenging, dramatic piece. They wanted something they could “sink their teeth into” – a different genre that challenged them as actors and technicians. Last, predictions in Huxley’s brave new world are almost prophetic. Predictions that were in the novel are seeing reality in our world today – not all, but some. Brave New World is a cautionary tale – don’t let technology and scientific advancement undermine the very core of humanity.

How did you develop the design concept?

The design concept was developed by a group of extremely creative and talented people also known as Technical Theatre Class. We read the script together, then my designers each got a copy of the novel, which they also read. The first day of concept work, we filled a blackboard with words that came to mind when reading the play. We grouped the words into major and minor themes. Sometimes a single word would stand out and we would incorporate that into the concept. More abstract concepts included the juxtaposition of John the “Savage” versus the “civilized” citizens of the Brave New World” and the worship of Henry Ford, father of the modern assembly line and mass production. More visual, design oriented concepts centered around simple words such as “neon”, “sterile”, “geometric”, and “assembly line”. The result of these concept discussions is ultimately what you will see on stage – incorporated in the scenery, lighting, projections, costumes, props, etc.

What technical elements are different in BNW than in past productions?

Since BNW is set in the future, it’s open season for creativity! Music and sound is heavily incorporated in the show; from the moment they enter the theatre, the audience is enveloped in original music laced with hyonopaedic (subliminal)messages. Also, we are, for the first time, using a multi-media approach to the experience of the play, using projections to complement the piece.

Should I bring my young child to BNW?

No. BNW is not suitable for younger audiences. I would recommend the show for high school students and adults If you are a parent of a middle school student, you are the one who can decide the maturity level of your child and make an informed decision about whether he or she should attend. Language is quite mild, but there are drug references (although the message about mind altering substances is that it is not a good thing) and sexual innuendo.