GCSU sees through eyes of pain, loss and survival

    On Tuesday, Nov. 13 “Through the Eyes of a Friend” was held in GCSU’s Arts & Sciences Auditorium at 2:30 p.m.
    “Through the Eyes of a Friend” is an interactive performance in which one actor responds to video and photos that depict the life and struggle of Sarah Weis, a fictional character based on Anne Frank’s childhood best friend, Hannah Goslar.
    The story followed the early relationship of Frank and Weis, their separation as the Nazi’s occupied Holland, and Weis’ hiding. The piece also told of Frank and Weis’ reunion at the prison camp Westerbork, their relocation to Auschwitz and then Bergen-Belsen, Frank’s death there, Weis’ struggle to live on and her later liberation.
    Weis was played by Ashley Adler.
    “I’m from Los Angeles but I went to acting school in New York and I live there now. I’m an actress in the city and I do musicals, plays and films” Adler said. “A guy from my school said he had a piece about Anne Frank and that I’d be perfect for it. I’ve done one person shows before, and I just knew I had to get it.”
    “It was my honor to bring this program to Milledgeville,” said Maxine Goldstein, member of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust and GCSU’s Foundation Board.
    “We attended Oak Hill Middle School this morning where Ashley gave two performances. We then went to GMC for a performance for the cadets Now we’re here at Georgia College giving this performance and tonight we’ll be at GMC once more,” Goldstein said.
    “It’s not a typical one person show where I’m just playing a bunch of characters,” Adler said. “I’m interacting with images and characters talking to me on the screen, and I’m only playing one character the whole time. That’s what is different. You’re not only hearing my character’s story but you’re seeing the story, so it’s doubly powerful.”
    Adler expressed her disappointment in the small turnout at Arts & Sciences Auditorium.
    “This specific performance was tiny for whatever reason,” Adler said, but Goldstein was not concerned.
    “Ashley does such a beautiful job, and the audience that was present got a lot out of the performance. That is what is important,” Goldstein smiled.
    Audience members Warren Downs, a senior, and Rose Williams, a junior, confirmed Goldstein’s observations.
“I thought it was really neat because it was more about the overall performance and not just the actors. Seeing how she was interacting with the screen put more of an emphasis on the overall meaning of the piece,” said Downs.
    “I thought the piece was extremely moving because of the technique with the images, drawings and the facts she used. I just really enjoyed the performance,” said Williams.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 30 2007. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry