"The Memorandum"

Spring Production - Contemporary Satire

By Vaclav Havel Inspired by the absurdities of life in Eastern Europe under Communism, the play follows looks at an organization encumbered by a bureaucracy that is out of control. The introduction of an artificial language, "Ptydepe," is supposed to streamline office communications, but only makes it worse. Creation of ridiculous jobs, reversals in chain of command, one-up-man-ship, impossible bureaucratic protocols, constant surveillance by office spies, and the supreme importance of conformity to keep one's job make this a play people relate to all over the world.

The playwright, Vaclav Havel, became president of Czechoslovakia in 1989 and guided the country through its division into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, when he became president of the Czech Republic.

NOTE: This play was selected due to the several connections that exist between Moravian and Havel. Moravian College has its roots in Czechoslavakia, where the Moravian Church was founded, and where John Amos Comenius--on whose educational philosophy the College is built--was born. In 1991, President Havel came to Moravian College to rededicate the statue of Comenius on Main Street. Additionally, Christopher Shorr, Director of Theatre at Moravian, who has a long-standing interest in Eastern European theatre, lived and worked in the Czech capitol of Prague during Havel's presidency. When Havel died at the end of 2011, the decision was made to include one of his plays at Moravian in the following season.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Arena Theatre

Email: cshorr@moravian.edu