The Human Capacity

The Human Capacity
By Jennifer Barclay

May 2-9, 2015
The Human Capacity
Principal People: 

Director Michael Dove

Event Attributes

Estimated Length: 
2 hours including intermission
Program Notes: 

Set in East Berlin, both before and after the fall of the Wall, The Human Capacity follows the journey of a Stasi officer as he seeks redemption from the woman whose life he shattered. Both torturer and victim find themselves caught in a struggle to reconcile the horrors of their past with their hopes for the future.

The Human Capacity is a searing look into a society and a family in turmoil, and an exploration of the human capacity for cruelty, perseverance and forgiveness.

Preview by the Diamondback

This is exemplary. Throughout, the play intertwines the hypothetical with the historical to discover how calculated, diplomatic motives have a trickle-down effect, not only into the lives of the governed, but also the generations to come.

— DANIELLE OHLThe Diamondback, May 1, 2015

Preview by The Gazette

When the play was completed, the Chicago theater community embraced it, Barclay said. It found itself in the hands of actors for readings and workshops. It became a gateway for her as a writer, garnering several awards and residencies that propelled her career.

— JOE ANTOSHAKThe Gazette, April 30, 2015