In this episode of the podcast, Bruce Walsh, who teaches playwriting and acting at Elizabethtown College, talks about directing Julia Cho’s 2012 play, The Language Archive. The play focuses on the character of George, a linguist who studies and tries to preserve dying languages. Although language is his field of study, he struggles to communicate with other people, particularly with his wife, Mary, who leaves him at the start of the play.
We discuss some of the themes in the play, like the limitations of language and the struggle to communicate effectively with those we care about most, as well as Bruce’s history with the theater and his approach to directing student actors.
The Language Archive will be performed at Etown College’s Tempest Theatre on November 3, 4, 9, and 10 at 7:30pm and November 5 and 11 at 3:00pm at Etown College’s Tempest Theatre. Tickets can be purchased here.