Auburn University Theatre opens its season tonight with "The Birthday Party" by Harold Pinter.
The play follows Stanley Webber, who lives in an English boarding house run by Meg and Petey Boles.
Two strangers arrive on Stanley's supposed birthday and cause quite the disruption.
"It has humorous elements, but at the same time it's scary," said Chase Bringardner, director and assistant theatre professor. "It's about what happens when you live in a society with constant fear around you. What does it do to people? How does one choose to either survive that or succumb to it?"
Although the play was written in 1958, Bringardner said it speaks to the contemporary moment.
"It's relevant in terms of the way we are in a post-9/11 society, constantly living under that fear," Bringardner said. "This play does a really important job of showing how people cope with that and the ways in which that kind of fear can cause people to act out in very different ways."
The play's nuance and depth offer appeal to both regular theatre patrons and those new to the theatre experience.
"You can't see the show and not feel anything about it, whether you're interested in theatre or not," said Bridget Knapik, senior in musical theatre who plays Meg in the play. "There's so much great stuff in the writing alone, but especially when it comes to life."
Pinter's writing style leaves room for interpretation, according to John Tourtellotte, senior in musical theatre who plays Petey.
"Not much information is given about exactly what is going on and why," Tourtellotte said. "It's just enough to make you want to know. You stay engaged the whole time because you're waiting for that next little answer."
The play's lingering questions will be eased by comedy, said Eli Jolley, junior in performance theatre who plays Stanley.
"By the end, people will be wondering what just happened, but hopefully they will have laughed enough to relieve some of the tension," Jolley said.
The play's style is rarely seen in student theatre, according to Chase Cox, senior in theatre who plays Goldberg.
"A lot of times at universities, you find plays that are either funny or serious, but rarely is it really skin-tingling," Cox said. "So I think this play is very appealing to our generation in general."
Bringardner said he chose this play because of Pinter's recent death.
"Harold Pinter is a really important British playwright, and this was his first really popular play," Bringardner said. "I hope the audience takes away the legacy of Pinter and the important contributions he made to theatre and society in general."
Bringardner said the audience will have an emotional experience.
"They're going to have a good time," Bringardner said. "They're going to be led on a mysterious, sometimes crazy journey. It's a really exciting ride in the theatre, and I think it'll be something people would not expect to see."
The play runs Sept. 23-24, 28-30 and Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee Sept. 26 at 2:30 p.m.
Admission is free for students with a student ID and $15 for the public.
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