A dynamic, humorous exploration of important and timely questions about the nature of war and its effect on our society will light up the Phipps Auditorium stage at Wells College on Friday evening.
The first professional national tour of “Catch-22,” Joseph Heller's own stage adaptation of his classic novel, will be performed by the Aquila Theatre Company in Macmillan Hall.
Heller's satirical, historical novel, first published in 1961 and set during World War II from 1943 onward, was hailed as one of the great literary works of the 20th century. As a critique of bureaucratic operation and reasoning, it embodies an atmosphere of logical irrationality.
The play is set on the island of Pianosa, off the coast of Italy, with Yossarian, a bombardier, caught in a world of bureaucratic absurdity. His superiors are determined to keep the squadron active and on the front line, so they keep increasing the number of flying missions. The only way to get out of flying is to plead insanity, but the plea itself is proof of sanity.
Paradox is central to “Catch-22,” which in the book is a military rule barring anyone from avoiding combat missions. Concern for one's safety in the face of real and present danger is the process of a rational mind, so if one asks to be grounded rather than fly more missions, he is sane. He would have to be crazy to fly, and sane if he questioned it, thus the no-win situation reflected in the title. This concept is extended to many other absurd bureaucratic decisions.
Yossarian, the main character, eventually realizes that Catch-22 doesn't really exist, but its power comes from the fact that those in charge say it does and the world believes it. He comes to fear the American bureaucrats more than the German enemy.
“The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on,” Yossarian said.
Heller himself was a bomber pilot in World War II. He considered his work to be a modern day “Illiad,” with Yossarian as a new Achilles.
Aquila Theatre Company's particular aesthetic is surreal drama, incorporating physical theater, creative multiple role assignment and acute attention to language. These techniques lend themselves to Heller's play, and with this new production Aquila provokes intense thought and discussion about the nature of war and its absurdities.
The Aquila Theatre Company is funded through the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's Mid Atlantic Tours program, together with the National Endowment for the Arts' Regional Touring program. It is a company of British and American artists dedicated to classical drama. Founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meinect, Aquila is now based in New York City.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
If you go
What: “Catch-22”
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 18
Where: Phipps Auditorium, Macmillan Hall, Wells College, Aurora
Cost: $10 for the public; $6 for students, seniors and the Wells community; free for Wells students
Info: Call 364-3456
Heller's satirical, historical novel, first published in 1961 and set during World War II from 1943 onward, was hailed as one of the great literary works of the 20th century. As a critique of bureaucratic operation and reasoning, it embodies an atmosphere of logical irrationality.
The play is set on the island of Pianosa, off the coast of Italy, with Yossarian, a bombardier, caught in a world of bureaucratic absurdity. His superiors are determined to keep the squadron active and on the front line, so they keep increasing the number of flying missions. The only way to get out of flying is to plead insanity, but the plea itself is proof of sanity.
Paradox is central to “Catch-22,” which in the book is a military rule barring anyone from avoiding combat missions. Concern for one's safety in the face of real and present danger is the process of a rational mind, so if one asks to be grounded rather than fly more missions, he is sane. He would have to be crazy to fly, and sane if he questioned it, thus the no-win situation reflected in the title. This concept is extended to many other absurd bureaucratic decisions.
Yossarian, the main character, eventually realizes that Catch-22 doesn't really exist, but its power comes from the fact that those in charge say it does and the world believes it. He comes to fear the American bureaucrats more than the German enemy.
“The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on,” Yossarian said.
Heller himself was a bomber pilot in World War II. He considered his work to be a modern day “Illiad,” with Yossarian as a new Achilles.
Aquila Theatre Company's particular aesthetic is surreal drama, incorporating physical theater, creative multiple role assignment and acute attention to language. These techniques lend themselves to Heller's play, and with this new production Aquila provokes intense thought and discussion about the nature of war and its absurdities.
The Aquila Theatre Company is funded through the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's Mid Atlantic Tours program, together with the National Endowment for the Arts' Regional Touring program. It is a company of British and American artists dedicated to classical drama. Founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meinect, Aquila is now based in New York City.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
If you go
What: “Catch-22”
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 18
Where: Phipps Auditorium, Macmillan Hall, Wells College, Aurora
Cost: $10 for the public; $6 for students, seniors and the Wells community; free for Wells students
Info: Call 364-3456
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