Real Talk
at Langley High School

Reviewed on May 14, 2021

David (DJ) Strigel
Tuscarora High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Listen, a real talk with someone is necessary when feelings of sadness and sorrow creep in. Whether someone is a youth or adult, feelings are a common feature in daily life; Langley High School's production of Real Talk illustrated this well through the dilemma of a college freshman and his struggles as his life rapidly changed.

A student-written show filmed in several settings, Real Talk was a production about Leo, a recent graduate of high school who was conflicted in choosing his life goals. Throughout the story, Leo talked to his therapist, met a potential new love interest, and resolved issues surrounding his family, all while he explored himself and his future career. All of these things were reminiscent of a real college student; Leo was hopeful yet afraid of what was yet to come.

Though the story mostly followed Leo's perspective, the story veered off to different points of view in a creative way. Every member of the cast, whether they had a main or supporting role, were devoted to their part and supplemented Leo's character development with poise as the play progressed.

Eli Roberts' performance as Leo was as unique as it was substantial to the tone of the production. A teen character with frequent mood swings and fluctuating emotions is hard to portray, yet Roberts made the story interesting by developing his character and look as the show progressed. Austin Young as Leo's Dad was an authoritative figure that set up Leo's arc nicely, and contrasted Leo's more loving mother as a forceful figure. Roberts and Young showed a realistic relationship that was meaningful and captivating every time they confronted each other.

With Leo's moods spiraling out of control, his therapist was the only way of letting his feelings out; Keya Umesh played the Therapist with caring and attentive delivery. Her soothing voice was vital in allowing Leo to grow and discover himself. Without Umesh's calming presence, Leo's development would not have been as effective and real. In addition, Gunnar Peacock's portrayal of Mr. Halifax was executed wonderfully because of Peacock's fatherly spirit. Mr. Halifax served as a reflection of what Leo could be in the future, which Peacock wisely implemented because he wrote this enthralling show as well as playing Mr. Halifax.

The cinematography of the film production was astute, as different types of shots, camera angles, and lighting techniques were used in every setting. No light glare was present and each character could be seen and heard well. The color palette of each scene and costume played an important role in each character; for example, Leo's gray shirt at the beginning and his colorful style at the end indicated his development and increase in confidence. The sound ambience, such as birds chirping and wind blowing, was present and adjusted accurately, which added depth to the scenes that were outside.

Langley High School's production of Real Talk was a student-written show including a youth entering the real world, family issues, and love interests; this show had it all! With proper film techniques and character evolution, this play was a work of dedication and commitment that evoked meaningful emotions present in everyday lives of people.

Jenalyn Dizon
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Everyone, whether young or old, knows that growing up is not easy. Entering the real world is a terrifying reality for most teenagers, and Langley High School's Real Talk describes how a support system can help to overcome any obstacle.

Real Talk was written by Langley student Gunnar Peacock and was born out of a school playwriting club. In addition to being student written, the show was student directed by Peacock and Conor Farah. The story of Real Talk follows Leo as he begins his freshman year of college. Under the stress of familial expectations and new responsibilities, therapy sessions teach Leo how to chase his own passions and step into his true self.

The scriptwriting by Peacock does a wonderful job bringing teenage issues and emotions to light while highlighting the importance of relationships. As a student himself, Peacock was able to mold his own experiences and create a very realistic story; he used language and mannerisms very natural to teenagers today, making every detail of the story ring true to a younger audience. Peacock also wrote scenes that focus on the relationships between characters – the way Leo speaks to his therapist is very different from how he speaks to his father, and both inform how each character impacts his life.

Eli Roberts as Leo played a very relatable teenager – complete with awkward family interactions and a bromance – to build a complex character for the story's center. Roberts was very expressive and did a nice job portraying Leo's path from reluctance to acceptance. When initially closed off, Roberts was fidgety and evaded questions, but slowly grew to open up about his feelings. Leo's therapist was played by Keya Umesh. Umesh truly embodied her character and radiated a soothing presence whenever she appeared onscreen. As she guided Leo through moments of clarity, Umesh delivered her lines with a focused but gentle prompt that put the audience in Leo's shoes.

Tess Jannery-Barney played Aurora, Leo's girlfriend. Roberts and Jannery-Barney had very believable chemistry that captured all of the excitement of young love. Notably, when the two met in a garden and Leo presented Aurora with a dandelion, Jannery-Barney's wholesome reactions made it a very sweet moment to watch. Leo's dad was played by Austin Young. To contrast the quietness of Leo's mom (played by Abhaya Tyrka), Young utilized sharp delivery and a commanding tone. Although initially very strict, Young later introduced an understanding softness to his demeanor to portray the development of Leo and his father's relationship.

The Langley technicians utilized expert camera angles and editing to enhance the story and bring their filmed show to life. The filming and editing team (Conor Farah, Tess Jannery-Barney, and Sophia Colabatistto) filmed from various angles with smooth cuts, which helped keep the conversation-heavy scenes engaging to watch. The team also used interesting moving shots to follow Leo and his family around the set, capturing emotion and strained relationships.

Overall, Langley's cast and crew created an inspiring piece that brings awareness to teenage struggles and the complexities of adulthood in Real Talk.

DJ Jang
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

Communication is an understated yet all-important aspect of healthy relationships. Intent often betrays action, and only through conversation can those inconsistencies come to light. Langley High School's Real Talk echoes this sentiment through the portrayal of suffocating expectations and a dad who just wants what's best for his son.

The play follows Leo, a freshman in college who finds himself swept along in the current of the life his father has planned out for him. But through conversations with a therapist, his girlfriend Aurora, and his roommate Mel, he realizes that this isn't the life he wants to live. Taking initiative over his life, he settles his differences with his father and finally embarks on his own journey of self-discovery.

The performances of Eli Roberts and Tess Jannery-Barney created an excellent contrast between the broody, uncertain Leo, and Aurora, who radiated positivity. Conor Farah's constant wisecracks as Mel brought welcomed comedy relief to a show dealing with heavier topics. The actors' overall chemistry was a delight to watch, leaving no room to doubt the characters' relationships. The subtleties of their facial expressions, physicality, and the delivery of their lines also added to the emotional impact of their performances.

Gunnar Peacock's writing was a pleasant surprise which exceeded many expectations. He wrote convincing characters that were grounded in their imperfections. Leo paralleled Mr. Halifax, the ideal that Leo strove towards. Mr. Halifax in turn was a much more easygoing and artistic counterpart to Leo's dad. These relationships only made it more significant when the characters changed, their development both believable and compelling. Conor Farah's steady camera work created an immersive film experience with a variety of angles that kept things fresh without causing unnecessary distractions. Tess Jannery-Barnery, Sophia Colabatistto, and Conor Farah all worked together to produce seamless editing that flowed from one scene to another.

Peacock's message is well known, but the lack of novelty doesn't take away from its relevance or importance: that passions should be pursued no matter the obstacles, and that sometimes passions can only be discovered with the help of others.

Diego Salazar Jara
Justice High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

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.

Rachel Kwon
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

"Just breathe." As young Leo panics, a single soothing voice grounds him with an important reminder. Langley High School's production of Real Talk was an original look at the anxieties of entering college and stepping out of your parents' shadow.

Real Talk was written by Langley student Gunnar Peacock during a student-run playwriting event. It tells the story of college freshman Leo as he leaves his overbearing father who wants him to pursue business. Between meeting new people and working through his issues with his therapist, Leo must figure out his identity and what he really wants in life.

The cinematography (Conor Farah) was a standout part of the production. The show sets the audience's expectations by starting off in a grainy Zoom-like format with Leo meeting his therapist over a video call, then exceeds them with an HD moving camera shot of Leo's family. With a variety of different shots and high-quality camera work, the cinematography shows creativity and grounds the world the story takes place in.

Eli Roberts as Leo was a key player in the show. His use of emotion during his scenes with his therapist and his dad emphasized the journey his character went on over the course of the story, from someone apathetic to his own interests to someone willing to stand up to his father and choose what to do with his life. Moreover, Keya Umesh as the therapist pulled the whole play together. Her soothing voice and facial expressions excellently portrayed a therapist's advice to both Leo and the audience. The interludes between Leo and his therapist broke up the play nicely and contributed to the flow of events.

The staging of Real Talk (Gunnar Peacock) was varied and drew the audience's attention to the different scenes. The actors moved naturally throughout the scenes and it added to their characters' shown personalities. Additionally, the editing (Tess Jannery-Barney, Sophia Colabatistto, and Conor Farah) smoothly brought together different scenes and camera angles. The scenes filmed in-person had many characters and thus many camera angles showing the characters, which the editors put together without taking the audience out of the world.

From the attention-grabbing cinematography to the character-driven performances, Langley High School admirably tackled a performance with a film-like format. The realistic premise and interesting execution of the show are sure to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Zander Kuebler
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Falls Church News Press

Simple, nuanced, and relatable, Langley High School's production of "Real Talk" provided a realistic look into the struggles of a college-bound teen.

Written and directed by current Langley High School student Gunnar Peacock as part of Langley's playwriting club, "Real Talk" follows college freshman Leo as he struggles to distance himself from his family and create his own identity. With the help of his new therapist and a girl he meets at school, Leo figures out who he is and how to get his family to understand him.

Leo was played by Eli Roberts, who navigated the choppy waters of an emotionally diverse character expertly, accurately portraying both ends of the emotional spectrum. When Leo was most down on himself and looked to his therapist for help, Roberts slumped his posture, lowered his voice, and avoided eye contact, enhancing the dejected nature of his character. When Leo was at his happiest, Roberts straightened his posture and spoke faster and at a high pitch, contrasting his downcast acting choices well.

While in school, Leo meets Aurora, a bright and energetic freshman played by Tess Jannery-Barney. Jannery-Barney complimented Roberts's portrayal of Leo by providing a source of energy for Roberts to feed off of. Her ability to take the mood from slow and emotional to fast-paced and invigorated is a testament to Jannery-Barney's commitment to her character and understanding of her role in the overall production. Another force for good in Leo's life is his therapist, who is played by Keya Umesh. Despite the difficulties presented by the virtual setting in which her character delivers her counseling, Umesh used strategic pauses and a smoother tone of voice to sound older and wiser, which made her character more distinct against Roberts's younger and brasher voice.

Unlike the good that Aurora and Leo's therapist bring to Leo's life, Leo's father is unaware of his son's struggles and pressures him to take a business path that Leo doesn't want. Austin Young portrayed this lack of awareness well by cutting Leo off when he was speaking and by deliberately avoiding eye contact when his character was missing what Leo was saying. Young's ability to make this naivety obvious gave Roberts more space to react strongly and for tension to build.

In a nuanced show such as "Real Talk," there is ample opportunity for technical elements to distract from the desired focus of the production: the characters and their relationships. Luckily, the Langley technicians chose to stay simple and reserved, doing only what was necessary to make the production smooth and understandable. The sets (Cristina Sayegh) were fitting for each scene and often used outdoor space to take advantage of natural lighting. The editing (Tess Jannery-Barney, Sophia Colabatistto, and Conor Farah) and camera positioning (Conor Farah) were also on the straightforward side, making for smooth transitions between changing scenes without distracting effects.

Ultimately, Langley High School's student-written, directed, and produced "Real Talk" depicted typical teenage struggles in a realistic and relatable fashion.

Shayna Kotler
Thomas Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

In Langley High School's Real Talk the cast and crew did an amazing job with a hybrid show through smooth transitions and great camera angles. The play started with Leo on a zoom call with his therapist as they discussed his upcoming college experience.

The show was written by one of Langley's own students, Gunnar Peacock. The show took place in many locations: a zoom with Leo and his therapist, Leo's house, Leo's dorm room, a job fair, a courtyard, and many more. Leo had an identity crisis before going away to college as he was unsure if following in his father's footsteps of studying business was the best option for him.

The cast did an amazing job with character development, enunciation, and acting, which contributed to the cast's outstanding job of doing a hybrid show. The cast did a fantastic job of showing off everyone's talent as everyone got to play a part in creating this masterpiece. The transitions were incredibly smooth and that is thanks to the cast and crew.

Leo, played by Eli Roberts, did a great job of being dramatic, especially in the scene with his therapist when he was on the verge of tears. Leo and Aurora, played by Eli Roberts and Tess Jannery-Barney, had perfect chemistry, especially in the garden scene. Their relationship was cute and sweet. One of the highlights of the show was the bromance between Leo and Mel, played by Eli Roberts and Conor Farah. It was great to see how their friendship as roommates grew throughout the show. Although she did not have a large part, Leo's mom, played by Abhaya Tyrka, was a great contrast with Leo's dad, played by Austin Young, because she was the more sweet and understanding parent while he was more strict and harsh. Another amazing thing about the show was the parallel between Leo and Mr. Halifax (Aurora's dad), played by Gunnar Peacock, and how Mr. Halifax was like a father figure to Leo. One final thing about the cast was that Aurora played by Tess Jannery-Barney had phenomenal facial expressions throughout the entire performance.

This show would not have been as amazing as it was without the amazing direction of Gunnar Peacock and Conor Farah. The editing of the show was also perfect and the transitions were absolutely astonishing. This was done by Tess Jannery-Barney, Conor Farah, and Sophia Colabatistto. Another thing that could not go unnoticed would be the costuming and how they perfectly fit each character. As the show went on, Leo's costumes got lighter and lighter each scene, which was foreshadowing the end of the show. The lighting of this show was also spectacular because it was mostly natural light but they used that to their advantage and no one was washed out. One final thing that was amazing about the crew was the set and how it was in a real place. This was set up by Cristina Sayegh.

The show ended with Leo on Mr. Halifax's doorstep as they discussed Mr. Halifax's life and how he got to where he is today. The show came full circle when Mr. Halifax was asked what his star sign was and he replied "I'm a Leo". This performance put a lasting impression on its audience because of the impressive talents of each and every person who put this show together and also left the audience wondering if Leo will go into fashion and follow in the footsteps of Mr. Halifax.

Vishrut Shukla
Thomas Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

For those who are beginning transitions, moving far and forward, or deciding who it is they want to be, stories like this one can be comforting and inspiring. Langley High School's student-run production company, Saxon Studio, presented Real Talk, written and directed by Gunnar Peacock and co-directed by Conor Farah. The show followed Leo, a college freshman, who was being pressured by his father to pursue a career in business, while he felt his calling is fashion. Over the course of the story, Leo struggled with his mental health, his relationship with his father, and what it is he wants from college. The piece is a well-written coming of age story with a phenomenal cast and crew bringing it to life.

One of the main reasons Real Talk worked is because of the well-thought out writing of the script. Gunnar Peacock managed to create a story where each character had full arcs with moments of growth that the actors could shine in. The characters in the show were written to complement each other and help move the story forward. For example, the two fathers in the story, Leo's dad, played by Austin Young, and Mr. Halifax, played by Gunnar Peacock, were written to contrast each other. And with that contrast, Young played the perfect catalyst for Leo's struggle and growth, while Peacock got to play the perfect reflection of who Leo could be. Details like this are what helped the story deliver its message of self discovery so well.

The crew of Real Talk elevated the production in terms of cinematography and editing. This production was particularly refreshing to watch as the majority of the scenes were filmed in person, offering some great camerawork directed by Conor Farah and filmed by Tess Jannery-Barney. What made the filming particularly impressive, apart from the camera angles and framing, were the choices made throughout the production. For example, after each therapy scene, Farah chose to stay on to see how he's feeling at that moment. It was a wonderful touch that added depth to Leo's character. The editing by Sophia Colabatistto, Tess Jannery-Barney, and Conor Farah throughout the show was seamless and allows for the show to flow from scene to scene.

The cast of Real Talk delivered phenomenal performances all across the board and each actor had a chance to shine in their roles. Eli Roberts played Leo with a great understanding of what the character had to go through and carried the weight of the story seamlessly, conveying growth in each scene. His chemistry with all the other actors in the show was what made his performance as believable as it was. Keya Umesh, who played the therapist, stole the spotlight in every scene she was in with her understated performance. Umesh had a calming presence on screen and, coupled with her line delivery, she created a memorable character. Overall, the performances in Real Talk worked to create a production that was engaging and meaningful.

Real Talk was a show about choosing our own path and asking for help when we need it. The show wass beautifully written, integrating Peacock's unique perspective as a high school senior, and came at a time in the school year when this topic is incredibly relevant. The cast had amazing chemistry with one another and the in person filming was refreshing to see in a year apart.