The Highland Park High School Theatre performed a play called “The Elephant Calf” which was performed last week on Nov 5, 7 and 8. The play was written by Bertolt Brecht and directed by Christopher Eastland. The show was meant to be absurd, unclear and a way of what the playwright wanted the play to be.

The play starts off about an elephant who is accused of murdering his mother, however the mother is standing beside  him on the stage. The Banana tree, the one accusing the elephant of murder as well as acting as an impostor to the mother’s “real” son, tries the elephant in a series of challenging trials.

First, the elephant has to climb up a rope with a knife to try to murder the moon. Then, the jury gives him a rope that has been put around his mothers neck. If he is able to pull her out of a designated circle, then he is her son proving he is not a murderer. But because of the Banana tree’s accusations regarding the elephants acting as an impostor, the jury thinks the elephants is guilty. However, the elephant doesn’t see this as fair and tackles the Banana tree.

Then, the actors begin singing “My Country Tis of Thee” and all the actors bow, but the audience on stage, who are actors themselves, get upset and argue for their money back. To calm the crowd, the actor who plays the elephant offers to box whoever wants their money back. After a soldier takes him up on this offer the audience leaves the stage.

The play is meant to show  the playwright Bertolt Brecht’s  believes of how theatre should be performed. Although much as the play may have seemed ludicrous, the theme intention was to show anything can be proved no matter the circumstances.  Jace Tucker, an actor in show, states “While the play was absurd for the themes it was trying to display, I thought it was done in an interesting and creative way. Overall it was just a great experience to be part of and I loved seeing it come together.” Although the play may have been hard to follow for some viewers, it proved to be a creative and interesting experience for those who starred in the play as well as awing the viewers that were able to understand its meaning.