LAUREN BARTLETT Publication Chief & A&E Editor
Thursday, April 6 was the opening night for the Piedmont College Department of Theatre black box presentation of “Still Life With Iris.”
Set in the imaginary town of Nocturno, residents work all night to make everything that the world needs while the rest of the world is sleeping. However, one day a little girl named Iris, who is very skilled at finding things, is stripped of her memories and taken from the life she has always known. Memories of residents in Nocturno are kept on buttons on their coats, and if a coat is taken off, all of their memories are lost.
Iris is taken to The Island of the Great Goods where everything is considered the best. There is only one of everything because to them, no two things can both be great. The owners of the island are behind the stripping of memories and they want Iris to use her skills of finding great things to add to their home. After spending time on the island, Iris realizes that something in her life is missing. Short images in Iris’ brain and one tangible memory from home help her to piece things together and return her memories.
Someone from her past that she does not remember visits the Great Island and sparks a fire in her to find her way back home. Along the path of rediscovery, Iris meets new friends who are also lost, and together, they complete their mission of going back to where they came from. One of those friends is Annabel Lee who is based off a poem by Edgar Allen Poe. Annabel Lee is played by freshman performance theater arts major Caitlin Fisher.
“The whole show involves the imagination of not only the cast, but the audience as well. When these two things collide, a beautiful, heartwarming masterpiece is made,” said Fisher.
Tons of missing coats are found and placed back with the right person. After Iris puts her coat back on, she remembers her family members and helps them return home as well.
Sophomore vocal performance major Kayleigh Banks attended the show on opening night and thought it was very heartwarming.
“It had such a unique storyline that was both touching and funny,” said Banks. This hour-long show captured the true meaning of home and remembering that everyone is great in their own way and no one is better than the other. All audience members are left with a reminder that your past is important and it makes you who you are, and forms you into the person you are supposed to be.
