James Joyce at Bilkent

Students from the Departments of English Language and Literature (ELIT) and American Culture and Literature (AMER) are working on the production of a new play, "The Salvation of Stephen Dedalus." The play was written and is being directed by Don Randall, associate professor in the ELIT department. Prof. Randall also appears in four roles in the production, while ELIT’s new assistant professor, Patrick Hart, plays the great Irish writer James Joyce. The main character, Stephen Dedalus, is portrayed by Berat Melih Kalender.

The play is based on James Joyce's novel "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" and examines such themes as Catholicism, Ireland, sex, sin and hell. It also focuses on and questions our understanding of what it means to be an artist.

At rehearsals, the students who will be performing roles appear excited about the play and, although focused on their work, also seem to be having fun. Some of the women students will be playing schoolboys, which should be interesting both for them and for the audience.

"The Salvation of Stephen Dedalus" will be staged in C-Blok Auditorium on December 13, 14 and 18.
Özgenur Sevinç (AMER/III)
Sedanur Aydoğdu (AMER/III)