Lit by ambient television light and accompanied by original OU student compositions, graduate directed "Quay West" will premiere 8 p.m. tonight in the Drama Lab Theatre in Old Science Hall.

The contemporary French play, written by Bernard Marie Koltes, displays the hopeless state of humans and their quest for a hypothetical salvation.

Fabrice Conte, second-year directing graduate student with a master's in Fine Arts, said "Quay West," commonly known as "West Pierre" near his home in France, is chilling and proactive. Conte is directing the play and has been studying abroad at OU for two years.

"It kind of talks about the dark side of human beings," Conte said. "Also, it's about integration and identity."

The play unfolds in a dark and demented neighborhood, where the eight characters arrive and become immersed in precarious events and relational conflicts. Conte said each scene is an exploration of the relationship between each of the characters.

"There's no lead. Everyone has equal roles," Conte said.

The cast and Conte agreed that the eight competing characters convey a variety of themes. Hilary Couch, drama junior, said social status, survival, and in a round about sort of way, love, are all strong themes. Clayton Winters, drama senior, said though many say the show is social commentary, it also deals with spiritual issues.

"There is really a matter for redemption. The people want it, but don't know where to look," Williams said.

The emphasis in the play, Winters said, is found in the verse Genesis 6:13 printed at the beginning of the script. "The end of all flesh is before me..."

Winters' character Charles illustrates one of the varieties of corruption that all the characters battle.

"If they have to take from someone else, they do it," Winters said. "At one point my character sells his sister for car keys."

Michael Ferguson, drama sophomore, said performing as such corrupt and dark characters requires special efforts. To get into his character, Ferguson said he listens to dark, haunting music with gritty sounds and styles his hair into a faux-hawk to illustrate the sharp and pointy nature of his character, Fak.

"This is the most physically draining work I've done," Ferguson said.

After getting into his character and going through performances, Ferguson said it's another big step to clear himself from his character and remind himself life is not as dark as in his character's eyes.

Each of the struggling characters emits a dark resistance through their actions and through their vulnerable, sharp language. Conte said the unique script gives the play a peculiar rhythm that's a powerful catalyst for telling the story.

"The language is beautiful. It's cruel and poetic at the same time," Conte said.

The atmosphere of the play also contributes to the portrayal of the mood. Conte said much of the play is done in total darkness, supplied only by the grayish-white light of a television screen.

The music sets the atmosphere too, and some of the music for the production, said Conte, was written and provided by Anne Vale Leibundgut, a student in the School of Music.

Conte said creating so much of their own elements for the production is an opportunity that many contemporary works like this one provides.
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