Piedmont College to Present “The Invisible Man”

The Piedmont College Theatre Department kicks off 2016 with a technically challenging stage adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel “The Invisible Man.”

 

Adapted by playwright Len Jenkins, the play transports the audience to a small town in 1957, where a family running a quiet motel confronts a mysterious scientist who has found the secret of becoming invisible. The family’s young son, Jim, discovers how scientific experimentation can raise serious ethical questions, that people are not always as they seem, and when intelligence and imagination are combined they can become dangerous two-edged swords.

Performances of “The Invisible Man” are at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 11–13; and 2 p.m., Feb. 14, in the Swanson Center Mainstage Theater. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. Piedmont students, faculty, and staff are admitted free. Tickets can be ordered online at piedmont.edu/fa or by calling the box office at 706-778-8500 ext. 1355.

“The Invisible Man” focuses on the themes of science and power introduced in the 1897 novel. By moving the story to 1957, Jenkins places the play in the atomic age, making the amoral behavior of crazed scientist Jack Griffin even more sinister. It simultaneously raises serious ethical questions about scientific discovery. According to director Kathy Blandin, “Most of us view science as a body of objective facts, but Len Jenkins’ play complicates this notion by showing us that scientists are human and therefore susceptible to human emotions such as greed, jealousy, rage, and revenge. These emotions can drive scientists toward unethical behavior and decisions regarding their scientific discoveries.”

The theatrical demands of the play push the boundaries of stage technology at Piedmont, said technical director Henry Johnson. “We have to create the illusion of invisibility in front of a live theatre audience, and that is our greatest challenge,” he said. “The production team has to master several magic tricks to make scientist Jack Griffin disappear. Once invisible Griffin eats lunch, performs experiments, and terrorizes people. All of which must be believable to the audience.” Come see “The Invisible Man” (or not see him), and let the Piedmont College Theatre know if the stage magic works.