One of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve ever had was watching the play Unconscious Curriculum, a student-run theatre performance directed by Andrew Houstan, at the Modern Languages building.
The plot followed a group of students who were taking a new course offered by the university about rape culture. Interested in how the students would respond to this unconventional course, a documentary team decided to record the course throughout the semester.
What made the experience so uncomfortable was how real the entire play felt. From hard-hitting facts to tackling almost every angle there is about rape culture, I sat cringing in my seat from this kind of raw exposure. Most discussions around rape culture are very cut and dry; people rarely acknowledge subsections in rape culture such as racism, homophobia, misogyny, and misandry, just to name a few.
To be honest, it was kind of overwhelming when the play introduced two projector screens playing at the same time in addition to the cast on stage. It was difficult at first, since I wasn’t able to focus on one thing without feeling like I was missing out on another. It was only a bit later in the play that I realized how effective it was in setting the mood, but perhaps one screen would work better than two.
Overall, I thought the play was fantastic, from its creative plotline to finally talking about all aspects of rape culture. It was an extremely entertaining and informative play (even though I was still fairly uncomfortable with how real it was). I would recommend everyone to watch it – go, become more informed! Seriously, it’s worth it.
