Cappies Review: 'Real Talk' At Langley High School

By Diego Salazar Jara of Justice High School

Growing up can be faced with many challenges, and it is necessary to let your voice be heard. So why not talk about Langley High School's "Real Talk"? "Real Talk" is a student-written and directed piece by Gunnar Peacock with Conor Farah directing the camera work.

"Real Talk" tells the story of Leo, a new college freshman, as he discovers what he wants to do with his life and who he really is. Between his many therapy sessions, his meetings with his overbearing father, and a new love and job interest, "Real Talk" shows the importance of being yourself even when faced with many challenges.

Eli Roberts, who played Leo, showed amazing growth and emotion as the character, which was well developed and strong. He had many great relationships with the other actors and added much emotion and impact to the story. Seeing his character grow throughout the story was relatable and, with the other actors, made it a powerful piece. Austin Young, who played Leo's Dad, showed a great interpretation of the character and his relationship with Leo was well developed. Seeing his character change after talking with Leo was impactful and showed the talent of both actors.

Another memorable character was the Therapist, played by Keya Umesh. Umesh showed great personality and emotion as the Therapist. Her calming voice and kind personality helped Leo grow and made their relationship meaningful. The ensemble as a whole was well developed, and created a powerful and realistic world, showing the importance of identity and self-confidence.

Many of the technical aspects of the show were highlighted with the smooth camera transitions and editing. Conor Farah, who directed the camera work, as well as Tess Jannery-Barney and Sophia Colabtistto, who helped film and edit the scenes, created memorable moments with the many camera angles and transitions. This was most noticeably seen with the transitions from an online video with Leo and the Therapist to the many in-person scenes. As the show director, writer, and one of the actors, Gunnar Peacock did an amazing job at all. The story was well developed and contained many powerful and emotional moments. The staging and character development was well rehearsed and made each character more unique. Even as Mr. Halifax, Peacock showed great development of the character. Peacock was not only able to balance being a director, playwright, and actor, but excelled in each as well.

Overall Langley High School's "Real Talk" was well developed and impactful. Together Peacock, the ensemble, and tech were able to create an emotional and relatable performance. Just like Langley High School's "Real Talk," remember to be yourself and don't be afraid to have a real talk.