We all know teenagers can be cruel to each other. Self doubt, the need for group acceptance, the desire to be popular, to lead or quietly blend into the background, all play a role in the maturing process on the road to self-awareness.
In William Golding’s classic 1954 tale of human nature and the lust for power and control, Lord of the Flies, a group of British school boys become stranded on a deserted island, with no adults to help or manage them.
In the book, the reason the boys, most from different London prep schools were all on the same boat that sank, was that the boys were being moved to safety, from the bombings in England during WW-II.
On the island, they have food and water. So all they need to do is to survive and calmly manage themselves until hopefully rescued. At first, the group works together effectively, foraging for food and water, maintaining a fire, electing a leader and erecting shelters.
Yet simply living peacefully is not in the boy’s cards. Using the promise of hunting wild pigs, dancing and having fun versus being responsible. one boy fractures the group, forming a clique of his own. Some of the aggression charged boys quickly disintegrate the group and form a wild pig hunting party. 
As the student’s uniforms are traded for spears and war paint, the innocent boys devolve into uncontrolled, bloodthirsty hunters and ultimately, savages intent on killing the “beast”.
In the newest adaptation of Lord of the Flies at the Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda, MD, the time is today or some time in the near future and it’s a plane crash that left the boys stranded.
The violent story, calm by today’s slasher-style standards, integrates modern rhythmic dance and loud, high-energy music from current bands such as Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails and Beastie Boys, to express the boys’ transformation from generally good adolescents to savages, intent on dominating each other. The fight scenes use a unique but effective combination of choreographed dance interlaced with slow-motion actions.
The characters include the elected leader who attempts to keep the group civil and united, the somewhat anal and ever-questioning nerdy kid (Piggy), the dark and misunderstood loner, several excitable followers looking to belong and for acceptance, and the self-imposed leader who splinters the group, and show how Darwin’s survival of the fittest can quickly take root. The brutal and now totalitarian boys are eventually rescued…but only after the unspeakable happens.
The skilled ensemble of mostly local young men in the late teens or early twenties (plus a 7th grader), play their parts believably and with the aggressive approach of testosterone-driven good boys gone “native”. The stage set is minimal and props limited, leaving the audience to use its imagination of what we might become…if left to our own devices.
The original book, surprisingly sold only three thousand copies in it’s first couple years after publication. But by the 1960s it became a best seller and required reading in many school curriculums. Time magazine listed the book as one of the 100 best English language novels (1923-2005).
This was my first visit to the Round House Theater. It’s a comfortable, intimate venue with seating that puts you close to the actors. The convenient location, just a couple minute drive from Bethesda’s Woodmont Ave. restaurant row, makes it simple and stress-free for grabbing a bite or as I did, a couple appetizers and a glass of wine before the performance. The low-cost attached parking makes it even easier.
Lord of the Flies
Round House Theatre
4545 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)
Dates and Times - Wednesdays - Sundays, through April 27, 2008
Tickets - $50.00 - $60.00 and are available online. This play is not recommended for children under 12.
Nearest Metro Subway Station - Bethesda Red line, then a 1-block walk.
Parking - Paid parking ($4.00) in the attended underground across the street from the theatre. Entrance on Waverly St.
译文:
蝇王
我们都知道十几岁的孩子对彼此会很残忍。
自我怀疑，需要被团队认同接受，渴望受欢迎，希望做领导者或默默地融入背景之中不被人注意， 所有人在慢慢成长认识自我的道路上都扮演着自己的角色。
在威廉戈尔丁1954年的讲述人类本性和对力量和控制力的欲望的经典小说——《蝇王》，其描述了一群英国小男孩儿脱离大人的帮助和管制，在荒岛上艰难、无助生存的故事。
在书中，这些大多数来自于伦敦不同小学的男孩子被送上这条船的原因本来是希望可以远离二战期间战火纷飞的英国，到达安全之地，然而船却沉了。
在岛上他们不用为食物和水发愁。所以他们需要做的只是存活下来并且冷静地管好自己等待救援的到来。起初，这群孩子在岛上相处和睦，他们一起寻找食物和水源，保存火种，选举领导者，搭建草篷，一切都进行的合理有序。
然而简单平静的生活并不是这些男孩想要的。他们用猎杀野猪、跳舞、四处玩乐来对抗责任。一个男孩使这群人分崩离析，自己组建了一个小圈子。一些天性好斗的孩子很快从原来的团队中分离出来组成了新的一派，猎杀野猪。
校服都被拿来换枪和涂脸的油彩，这些天真的男孩儿开始变成了不受控制的嗜血猎杀者，最终成了想要杀死“怪兽”野蛮人。
马里兰州贝赛斯达的圆形剧场即将要上演的最新改编版的《蝇王》。故事发生的时间被移到当今或者不久的将来，并且那些男孩子是因为飞机失事而流落荒岛，开始艰难生活的。
这个带有当今流行的尖刻风格、充满暴力的故事融合了节奏明快的现代舞和来自于像Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails 和 Beastie Boys等乐队喧嚣、活力四射的音乐。 它通过这样的方式来表现那些男孩儿从优秀少年到意图要统治对方的野蛮人的转变。 在打斗的场景中，精心设计的舞蹈动作和慢动作相结合，十分独特却效果十足。
《蝇王》里有当选为领袖、努力维持文明和团结的拉尔夫，有有点吹毛求疵，永远都在思考问题的自卑小孩（Piggy）,有性格阴郁、经常被人误会的孤独男孩儿，一群情绪易受挑拨、一直在找寻归属感和认同感的追随者，还有自诩为领袖、分裂团队并且一致宣扬达尔文适者生存理论的杰克。那些残忍、而后又坚持极权主义的男孩最终被救了出来……然而在此之前他们经历了极其可怕的事情。
这部剧的表演团队演技精湛，并且主要由当地十几二十岁的年轻男孩（加上一个7年级生）组成。演员们将自己的角色表演的栩栩如生，将故事中那些处于躁动的青春期、好斗莽撞的男孩儿诠释得十分“地道”。舞台设计简单精炼，没有过多的道具，这样可以给观众一个想象空间——如果我们自己来设计装饰，舞台应该是怎样的呢……
原著在其出版后的头两年仅仅卖出了3000本。然而在20世纪六十年代这本书一跃成为畅销书，并且在许多学校的教学大纲中都被指定为必读书目。《时代周刊》将这本书列为百部优秀英语小说（1923-2005）之一。
这是我第一次来到圆形剧场。里面的座位让你和演员的距离很近，让人感觉非常舒服、亲切。位置很好，交通便利， 从贝赛斯达的Woodmont 大道只需几分钟的车程就可以到达这里。这里餐馆林立，在演出开始前，你既可以简简单单地吃点快餐，也可以像我一样换上正装，品尝点开胃菜再喝杯酒。而这里便宜的停车费使得一切变得更加舒适便捷。
蝇王
圆形剧场
东西高速 4545
马兰里，贝赛斯达 20814 (地图查询)
时间 -星期三至星期天, 于2008年4月28日止。
票务- $50.00 - $60.00 可以网上订购. 12岁以下儿童不宜观看。
最近的地铁站- 贝赛斯达 Red line, 步行一个街区即到。
停车 - 剧场对面地下车库，（人工收费，每次$4.00） 入口在 Waverly 大街