Dystopian literature has long held wide-ranging views of Earth’s dismal future, but none included elaborate hats — until now.
On Friday, Quantum Theatre presents “Far Away,” a chilling play by Caryl Churchill reimagined as a fully-filmed digital performance. The play envisions the whole world engulfed in a war where nothing can be trusted and benign items like hats are used for sinister ends. Married actors Andrew William Smith and Lisa Velten-Smith star in the show, which will be available to stream through March 7. Tickets start at $10 at quantumtheatre.com/faraway.
“The play deals with deep things. The hats are key to us understanding this world that turns out to be not so far away from our own,” Quantum artistic director Karla Boos said by email.
Costume designer and Carnegie Mellon professor Susan Tsu assembled a talented team of milliners, many from the Pittsburgh area, to create the play’s fanciful hats. She remained tight-lipped about their function in the plot, however.
– Tyler Dague, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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