Speaking in Tongues: 'The Internationalist'

ANYONE WHO HAS EVER ENDURED a long international flight knows the feeling: little or no sleep, scratchy eyes, mussed hair, aches in your back and neck. And then, upon stepping off the plane, unfamiliar people and languages greet you when you're least prepared to think on your feet.

This is the feeling of "The Internationalist" — Studio Theatre's new production of a play by Anne Washburn. It's the story of a man who has entered unfamiliar territory with only the most tenuous grasp of his surroundings.

The protagonist of "The Internationalist" is Lowell, a normally confident American man sent abroad on business. After a grueling flight, he finds himself greeted by Sara — a somewhat odd, but intriguing blonde who works with his company. Sara, who we first see holding a sign for Lowell in the airport, winds up serving as Lowell's cultural ambassador, workplace colleague and romantic interest.

When Lowell finally arrives at the site of his workplace, he finds an office full of quirky folks who constantly speak over his head in their native tongue. As he hangs around the office, the comments grow more and more cryptic, leading to the play's mysterious second half.

"There's a feeling of alienation that is central to the play with regard to being in a foreign country where you don't know the customs or the language or understand what your role in that society is," said Tyler Pierce, who plays Lowell. "Early on in rehearsals we talked about this idea of when you go to a foreign country or you go into a new experience where no one knows you, you have the opportunity to be who you always wanted to be. Because they don't know anything about you."

All of the non-English dialogue in "The Internationalist" is spoken in a made-up language devised by Washburn. Allegedly a dialect from an unknown country in Eastern Europe, the language sounds like a mishmash of Swedish, German, Russian and a hint of Martian. The actors enunciate their words clearly, making a convincing case that this is an actual language.

Pierce plays the part of Lowell, returning to the Studio Theatre after his role in the venue's production of "Fat Pig." Pierce ambles around wearily in a state of harried befuddlement. His mop of hair stands up at odd angles; his shirt is continually half or completely untucked.

The play also boasts a strong showing by its supporting cast. Tonya Beckman Ross delivers a strong comedic performance as Sara, as do Lowell's officemates played by Holly Twyford, Jason Lott and Cameron McNary.

Pierce claims to have drawn upon his own traveling experiences as he prepared to take on the part of Lowell. He said that one of his friends from college had parents who ran a travel agency, so he spent a lot of time traveling to faraway locations, including an extended stay in the Middle East.

"I remember just going through there, not understanding the language," he said. "We spent about four months in Egypt, and being one of the only white people in an African society — that feeling of being out of place all the time — I was able to use some of that in preparation."

» Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW; through June 22, $39-$57.

Written by Dan Miller
Photo by Carol Pratt