"Expectations" at Trinity

SOPHIA GOURLEY, ’19
STAFF WRITER
 
A play based on Charles Dickens’ s renowned novel “Great Expectations” will be performed at Trinity College’s Austin Arts Center this coming April.  In preparation for the upcoming show, here’s a quick breakdown of the plot. Dickens tells the story of a young orphan named Pip living in England, through the voice of Pip as an adult. Early in the novel, Pip accompanies his Uncle to visit Miss Havisham.  Miss Havisham is an extremely unconventional woman, who wears her wedding dress around her old, moss-covered mansion. Her daughter, Estella, immediately captures the heart of Pip, despite her unwelcoming demeanor.  Pip aspires to become a gentleman in order to someday win the heart of Estella. Dickens unfolds the story of Pip’s life in “Great Expectations,” and incorporates with the themes of love, ambition and hope to create a truly timeless tale.
The novel was published in the 1860s and is one of Dickens’s final novels. “Great Expectations,”however, is set in the early 1800s, around the time when Dickens was growing up. Due to this, there is a lot of overlap between the childhood experiences of Dickens and the protagonist, Pip. Since the broad themes and beloved characters of the novel are transferable from generation to generation, Dickens’s work has withstood the test of time to become a literary classic.The staging of Great Expectations will certainly be no easy task.  The vibrant characters and intricate setting make it a difficult novel to create. However, portraying this work through the means of stage will literally make the story come alive.
The production will provide the audience with a unique visual perspective into one of Dickens’s most famous pieces of work.Trinity’s Department of Theater and Dance will be using playwright Gale Child Daly’s adaption of “Great Expectations,” and will be directed by Jerry Winters.  For all those interested in attending the performance, it will be presented in the Austin Arts Center from April 14 to April 16.  Admission to the show is free; however, tickets are necessary.