This weekend is UCYA’s production of Still Life with Iris, and we caught up with some of the students involved to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the show! Still Life with Iris follows Iris, a resident of Nocturno where the people there make everything that helps our world function, from the rain that falls to the fog that lifts. Iris goes on a journey to find who she is and the importance of remembering your past.
The directors of Still Life with Iris, Victoria Jost and Thomas Fischer, have been working very hard, taking on most of the behind the scenes responsibilities, and are so excited to finally be able to share their work. Victoria shares what inspired them to bring this show to life: “I have always loved this story. I was cast in it about seven years ago and it made such an impression on my heart that I never really stopped thinking about it. It’s like it was stuck in my head, almost. When the idea of directing a play with Tommy first came to be, this story was the obvious choice. The world, the characters, the message of the piece; every time we read the play, we discovered new things.” Thomas adds that this is a project they’ve envisioned together for quite some time, “We decided we wanted to do this play and work on it around this time last year, but we truly started to work on it at the beginning of last semester. We haven’t stopped since then.” Together, they’ve created a production full of whimsy and heart that they can truly be proud of.
“When you’re on the water, your heart pounds with delight. And your past is a tide which crashes inside and you speak aloud the story of your life.” -Annabel Lee
Abigail Jensen, who plays the titular role of Iris, is also very excited to share this story. She loves delving into her character’s exploration of herself and her story. Abigail explains, “I love the journey to find those exhilarating moments when Iris discovers the strength within herself! She’s an empowered woman!” She says people should come see Still Life with Iris because “it fuels childhood reveries while telling a heartfelt story about a young girl on a journey to find herself!”
Still Life with Iris is a heartwarming story that’s for audiences of all ages. Directors, Victoria and Thomas, are so excited to unveil their work to the world and hope that audiences enjoy the show as much as they do. When asked what they hope the audience takes away from Still Life, Thomas replied, “That not everything has to be perfect, and it’s okay to be yourself.” Victoria added, “We want to share this story with the community because we hope it will allow them to take a step back and reflect their own lives, past and present, and decide what their memories mean to them.” Still Life with Iris runs Saturday, April 6th and Sunday, April 7th at 7:30PM in Bits of Britain Cafe. Admission is free and the company hopes to see you there. For more information, visit their Facebook page at UCYA’s Still Life with Iris. “Now and again!”
“What our memory leaves unfinished, our hearts complete with ache.” – Mister Matternot