Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants

by Ian Thal

Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants:

With the assistance a Newspeak interpreter named Dix, Mister Kultura finds himself in a biology class presenting “The Matriarchy of the Ants,” a nature documentary. What follows is a lesson in evolutionary arms races, selfish genes, xenophobia, the threat that repressive regimes pose to scientific inquiry, a brief history of constructed languages...

Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants:

With the assistance a Newspeak interpreter named Dix, Mister Kultura finds himself in a biology class presenting “The Matriarchy of the Ants,” a nature documentary. What follows is a lesson in evolutionary arms races, selfish genes, xenophobia, the threat that repressive regimes pose to scientific inquiry, a brief history of constructed languages, and puppet hijinks.

Comrade Guest Eder Kultura and MotherGov of Antland

Comrade Guest Eder Kultura from Ungoodland come to lifesci class and show Oldspeak TrueDocFilm. Newspeak Comrade TrueSpeaker Dix speak goodthinks. TrueDocFilm ref MotherGov of Antland and is ungoodthink. TrueDocFilm is untrue, maked by crimethinkers. Uncomrade Kultura is unperson. You unhear him. You unsee him. This warn you.You unread this. Download is infocrime. Stageact this is artcrime. This warn you.

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Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants

Recommended by

  • Kerr Lockhart: Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants by Ian Thal
    “

    Ian Thal is a verbal stylist, and he has let it all go with a fantasia on Orwell's Newspeak Gone Wild, which like many dialects, seems strange at first but gradually becomes easy to understand. The heart of the piece is the pitched battle between scientific inquiry and the almost inevitable desire of governments to to control thought -- words being one of the most efficient tools. (How can you think about things for which there are no words?) There are laughs, but the story is not really funny.

    Ian Thal is a verbal stylist, and he has let it all go with a fantasia on Orwell's Newspeak Gone Wild, which like many dialects, seems strange at first but gradually becomes easy to understand. The heart of the piece is the pitched battle between scientific inquiry and the almost inevitable desire of governments to to control thought -- words being one of the most efficient tools. (How can you think about things for which there are no words?) There are laughs, but the story is not really funny.

    ”
  • Cheryl Bear: Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants by Ian Thal
    “

    A thought provoking examination of the behavior of ants and human beings particularly in power cultivation through the lens of science. Well done.

    A thought provoking examination of the behavior of ants and human beings particularly in power cultivation through the lens of science. Well done.

    ”
  • Victoria Z. Daly: Jan Kultura, Substitute Teacher, and the Matriarchy of the Ants by Ian Thal
    “

    It's not just the hilarious double-speak (written in a language Ian Thal has invented), or the ant-on-ant puppetry, that's so effective here. It's the increasingly unsettling feeling that the science film enacted onstage describes not just ant behavior but also humans' relentless need to dominate, enslave and feed on each other. This is such an inventive and playful way to discuss both science denial and some truly disturbing realities about humans. Would love to see it staged.

    It's not just the hilarious double-speak (written in a language Ian Thal has invented), or the ant-on-ant puppetry, that's so effective here. It's the increasingly unsettling feeling that the science film enacted onstage describes not just ant behavior but also humans' relentless need to dominate, enslave and feed on each other. This is such an inventive and playful way to discuss both science denial and some truly disturbing realities about humans. Would love to see it staged.

    ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

Three characters are to be played by human actors.

The remaining characters are non-human and may be rendered as puppets.
  • Jan Kultura
    He is an immigrant, but now a citizen. His clothing and demeanor indicate that he has either never quite learned to conform to the customs of his new country or that he never fully wanted to. He is erudite – perhaps this is a family trait. Nonetheless, he has never mastered the use of either the definite or indefinite articles of speech.
    20s - 50s
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Comrade Dix
    Comrade Dix is a Newspeak interpreter and dresses in a severe, restrictive manner. Dix's gender is irrelevant. Dix is a patriot.
    20s - 50s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
  • Presenter
    The host of a nature documentary. Dresses appropriately for the role. Erudite and enthusiastic.
    30s - Centenarian
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
  • Various Ants, DNA
    Portrayed by puppets. Most ant workers and soldiers are female like their queen. Only drones are male.

Development History

  • Reading, ScienceAF (Science Art Fusion), 2020

Awards

  • Independent International Award for Improper Dramaturgy «Neem-2019», Long List
    Vibrating Body
    2019