The largest war to ever engulf the globe is happening right outside, but the inhabitants of George Bernard Shaw’s “Heartbreak House,” are more concerned with their love affairs.
In “Heartbreak House,” the feminist writer depicts the course of a day in a mansion in Sussex, England.
Over the course of the show character’s become fixated on romance while ignoring that they are living in the middle World War I.
Ohio Wesleyan’s theatre and dance department’s rendition of the play was directed by Professor Elane Denny-Todd.
Denny-Todd said that after 22 years of working at OWU, she was excited to finally produce one of Shaw’s works.
The cast of “Heartbreak House” is comprised of ten students from various class years.
Making the first appearance on stage was Ellie Dunn, played by senior Jenea Dominguez.
Dominguez’s character struggles throughout the show with the decision of whom she will marry. Eventually she settles on the absent-minded Captain Shotover, played by junior Luke Steffen.
Dominguez said she auditioned for the play because she wanted to perform something of Shaw’s as well as work with Denny-Todd.
Senior Kati Sweigard takes on the role of Hesione Hushabye. Sweigardvdescribes her character as having an “intense personality and a ton of confidence.”
Sweigard said that Shaw intended to write the play as an examination of wartime upper-class British society.
Junior Hannah Simpson, who plays Lady Ariedne Utterwood, agreed with Sweigard. Simpson added that Shaw’s play is a critique on how self-absorbed people can be.
“Shaw wrote this play to point out the follies of mankind, particularly those of the upper-class, on the eve of WWI,” Simpson said.
“Instead of being concerned with the consequences that will inevitably rise from war, the characters in ‘Heartbreak House’ fill their minds with trivial matters,” Simpson continued. “Such as who gets the last word in an argument, or not receiving a ‘proper’ greeting when he or she has entered the house.”