Last week, Furman University had the honor of performing the world premiere of the play “Pomp and Circumstance,” written by Furman alum and playwright Randall David Cook. The play has been advertised not only around campus and among the Greenville community but also on a broader level to notable playwrights and theatre professionals nationwide.

The play takes place on an elite southern campus,“Wilson University,” a college clearly modeled off Furman. The cast primarily consists of a college professor and her twelve students, who are enrolled in a senior seminar class. The play depicts a typical college classroom setting, and keys in on the stereotypes of the students. Two of the more prominent characters are the popular cheerleader and jock, who have a “friends with benefits” relationship. They are the most beautiful students and the “rulers of the school,” but they also face problems, most notably when the jock contracts a sexually transmitted disease.

Overall, the play tends to focus on questions surrounding various issues such as marriage and divorce at a young age, pregnancy, and dating. Other topics addressed include understanding differences of religious belief, the use of alcohol, dyslexia, and the perils of privilege.

Each character fits a particular label defining their personality. For instance, there’s the “environmental activist,” the “nerd,” the “preppy cheerleader,” and the “singer.” The student actors portray these roles to a tee, dressed in ways that give away their personality before they even open their mouths.

Although the play only lasts for an hour and a half, it addresses a range of experience one would expect to have in college and also deals with fear and uncertainty about life after college. The play stays close to the status quo of college life, but a surprising twist to the plot occurs at the end. It’s a dramatic and violent scene, brutally portrayed.

The play is designed for mature audiences, particularly college students. It does a great job of addressing issues that arise during the college experience. The comedy — as well as the in the play makes it a lively, upbeat and entertaining show to watch, particularly the loud, contemporary pop music that is played between each scene along with spontaneous dancing.