Photo by Kristina Gadeikyte via Uplash.

When we talk about colonization, we usually focus on land, armies and political control. But Great Britain’s empire-building wasn’t limited to geography. It also involved the mass appropriation of art and cultural heritage. Much of that legacy is still sitting in British museums today, far from the communities that created it.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, as Britain expanded across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, it also collected, or more accurately, took an enormous amount of art. Religious relics, royal treasures, sculptures, and manuscripts were removed from colonized nations, often through violence, coercion or exploitation. These objects were shipped back to London and celebrated as symbols of Britain’s supposed cultural superiority.

The British Museum stands as the clearest example of this legacy. Established in 1753, it houses millions of artifacts from around the world, many of which arrived during the peak of imperial expansion. One of the most famous (and controversial) cases is the Elgin Marbles, taken from the Parthenon in Greece by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s. Despite decades of requests from Greece, the marbles remain in London. The story is similar for the Rosetta Stone, which Britain seized from Egypt after defeating Napoleon’s forces in 1799.

Britain’s colonization of art wasn’t just about taking objects. It was about reshaping narratives of culture and civilization. Non-Western art was often exhibited as anthropology rather than high art. African sculptures, Indigenous American artifacts and Asian ceramics were categorized as curiosities, reinforcing racist ideas about Western superiority and “primitive” others. This practice didn’t just misrepresent the art itself; it actively undermined the cultures that produced it.

While some institutions, like the Horniman Museum in London, have begun making small steps toward restitution, many, including the British Museum, have remained resistant, often citing legal barriers or claiming that the artifacts are part of global heritage. But critics argue that real global heritage cannot be built on theft and denial.

Art is not just decorative. It is deeply tied to history, memory, and identity. Keeping these works in British institutions without consent perpetuates the very inequalities created by the Empire. Britain’s colonization of art didn’t end when the Empire did; it is still happening in how museums display, narrate and justify possession today.

Production photo from “Terra Nova” at William Jewell College, photo courtesy of Jewell Theatre Co.

Cal Perkins is a senior theatre major at WIlliam Jewell College, having made his directorial debut with his 2025 production of “Terra Nova.” Written and published by Ted Tally in 1980, the play follows Robert Falcon Scott’s fatal expedition to the South Pole in 1911. In an interview with The Hilltop Monitor, Perkins shared his thoughts about the play’s significance and modern relevance.

Firstly, thank you for taking some time to answer some questions about your production. It was a real privilege to experience it first-hand.

Thank you so much for this opportunity! It’s so relieving and affirming to have someone so affected by my production. 

What did your responsibilities entail regarding the production of “Terra Nova” at William Jewell College?

Well, when it came to responsibilities, I had my plate full from the start. With the announcement of no (zero) budget for the Theatre Department in August of 2024, I had to make some split-second decisions. How was I going to put on the show I wrote (“Animal Farm”), when it was budgeted for $300 in the planning stages? I decided to do my backup project, “Terra Nova.”

When it came to a method for finding how to pay for the rights, I was relieved whenever [Professor] Wyman approached me and informed me that I had an anonymous sponsor for my capstone. From there, the responsibilities took off. For auditions, it was up to me to set the date and time, along with cutting sides or pages from the script for the auditioning actors to read. After, I did the same for callbacks. Immediately following callbacks, my production team went to the PLC to discuss the actors and which roles would fit who. It took around 2 hours total to get the final cast list, to which we announced immediately. 

Rehearsals mostly fell to my team, as they accumulated things for me to remember and things to do. But I made the creative decisions to make the concessions for the show fit the theme, the blocking, full directing and rehearsal schedules. I had to manage the program and design it, look into designing/hiring my friend to finalize the poster and so much more. Pretty much everything that came out of the final look of the show was between me and my crew. 

How old were you when you first encountered “Terra Nova” and what impression did it leave on you at the time?

Funnily enough, I saw “Terra Nova” as a One-Act Competition piece in 2019. I was a Junior in high school in Sand Springs, OK at the time – around 17 years old. 

When I first watched the show begin, I was interested in the least amount, to be honest. It was a chopped up amalgamation of scenes to fit in the key points of the show in thirty minutes, so it was a burst of information in such little time. However, Evans’ death scene was what spoke to me more than anything. We thought the actor for Evans was having a seizure on stage. Genuinely. He was so engrossed in his role and from there the rest of the deaths would happen between Oates and the final three of the Polar Party. 

I’m very interested in uncanny or depressing historical events, as painful as it is, and this one spoke to me deeply. It only spoke deeper as I read the play itself. Ted Tally is a true writer, which you can see in his poetical stage directions and descriptions. If you enjoyed the show, I cannot stress enough how much I encourage experiencing a full read of the script. It is a masterpiece on a horrific scale. 

Nonetheless, after looking up the actual events, it haunted me. It just stuck itself as the number one play of all time in my mind and there it still stays!

In your director’s notes, you presented a compelling interpretation of “Terra Nova” as a critique of nationalism. Based on your understanding of the playwright’s intent and the production’s historical context, do you believe this theme was deliberately embedded in the work? Additionally, do you think audiences at the time of its original production resonated with this message, whether intentional or not?

Nationalism, if stated so or not, was certainly a major theme in Ted Tally’s original view. At least, that’s what I believe. What really solidifies this for me is the scene with Amundsen and Scott in Act I. They go into a verbal spat about which way to get to the pole. Amundsen says something along the lines of, “You, a gentleman, and I a barbarian. A killer of dogs.” To which Scott declines, [and] Amundsen replies, “A foreigner, then. It’s the same thing to you.” 

This is what instantly set the theme in my mind. That and the constant use of derogatory language toward those of other nationalities. In a scene which I unfortunately had to cut for time purposes, the crew hallucinates an enormous dinner banquet with Amundsen as their server. This scene has a barrage of slurs toward other nations and countries. 

I feel that many people don’t see this, at least not clearly. That’s why I decided to make my author’s note more of a caution toward nationalistic perspectives. When I first saw the show, I didn’t get it. But it is the core and the key message of the show, one that is very important in these current times. 

How do you see the themes of “Terra Nova” reflected in today’s geopolitical climate? In what ways do you think the play remains relevant to contemporary international relations?

Right off the bat, after the effects of January 20th, there is importance to this message. From what I see President Trump doing, he appears to try and alienate the United States from the rest of the world. Whether it be through media, fearmongering and other uses. Same thing goes for Russia, as Nationalism is an enormous topic over there in a consistent pattern. 

Extreme nationalism is bad. That’s a given. Most people understand this. But a majority of Americans may be blinded by patriotism that may leak into nationalism. A nationalistic eye blinds others from the outside world, its influence and other cultures. If Scott studied with the Inuits, such as Amundsen did, perhaps he’d have a better chance. But the British always colonized and never adapted. 

Today, it’s a message that many people are not speaking about, but it is a vital element to keeping our history intact and growing. If we close ourselves off and foster this pride for ourselves and ourselves only, we only step further back in time and limit ourselves as a result. 

The production featured some incredibly intense and emotionally charged moments, brought to life through powerful performances by the cast. As a director, what was it like navigating these darker elements of the play? Was there ever a struggle with “taking the play home with you” between yourself, the cast, or the crew? 

As I mentioned before, darkness is kinda where I thrive. Not to be edgy. I just find such life in the trauma and darkness of some stories. The arc of action and consequence is something I just thrive in, especially regarding theatre or fictional stories. 

I had no problem taking home that darkness. However, with my cast, we wanted to keep things lighthearted and we wanted to make sure it stayed in the theater. Emma Kelly led decompressions at the end of rehearsals, where we laid on the ground and meditated for around ten minutes. It was very productive, especially what I’ve heard from my cast. 

Aside from that, we kept it pretty fun in rehearsals. While balancing the weight and the true events of the show, we encouraged deep character research and ways to really thrive and merge with that character in a healthy, productive way. By the end, I felt like everyone knew that we would leave the death on the ice and would come back into it only in rehearsals. Everyone did such a great job helping one another. It was just such a relief to have a healthy, communicative production. 

Looking ahead, what are your plans for your future in theatre? Do you see yourself directing “Terra Nova” again at some point, or perhaps auditioning for a role in another director’s adaptation?

For my future plans, I’m currently looking into being a Professor of Theatre. But that’s kind of changing at the moment. I really found a huge passion in directing, so I’m potentially considering a future as a creative director of some sort. Not too sure! 

As for “Terra Nova,” I’d love nothing more than performing the full-length show someday – and stepping into that tundra myself. Evans is certainly a dream role of mine, so I’d love to take a chance to play him. 

This show will certainly never leave me. This entire experience was so fulfilling, especially after my Duke Colloquium presentation last year. I’m just so elated that I had this opportunity with such a talented cast and crew. 

The Hilltop Monitor thanks Cal Perkins for his insights into a complex and important story—one told with passion and care on our campus. We look forward to seeing where his passion and skills take him next!

“Terra Nova” 2025 production poster, illustrated by Cal Perkins.

As we pass the one-year mark of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate, causing variant strains to emerge and spread across the globe. Currently, the main coronavirus variants of concern have been identified as originating in Britain, South Africa, Brazil and California. 

COVID-19 vaccines scheduled to be approved at the end of 2020 gave the world hope that the end of the pandemic would soon be a reality. However, the rapid emergence of these new variants threatens to postpone the eagerly anticipated end of this pandemic. 

Public fear generates a concern that the vaccines might be ineffective against the new variants, but these fears may be unwarranted in most cases. The mutations in the variants may cause the virus to spread faster or make people sicker – risks that primarily affect those who remain unvaccinated.

The vaccines will have different success rates with different coronavirus variants, but will nevertheless retain relatively high efficacy in preventing infection and serious illness or hospitalization.

Research is still being collected on the efficacy of the different vaccines against the new strains. A recent study conducted in Israel concerning the Pfizer vaccine efficacy against the British (B.1.1.7) and South African (B.1.35) variants.

The study found that the Pfizer vaccine retained a high efficacy, although a slightly reduced effectiveness against both variants. The B.1.35 variant was found to be more likely to cause breakthrough infections, but these breakthroughs occurred one to two weeks after the second dose, with no breakthroughs occurring after the 14th day of an individual has received the second dose.

The study concludes its findings with the reassuring statement that despite the more frequent breakthrough infections with the variants, continuing with the mass-vaccination of two doses and non-pharmaceutical intervention measures, like masks, can control and contain the spread of the virus.

The gap between fall and Thanksgiving break is the absolute worst. One way to escape the never-ending feeling of doom is watching TV dramas about people with very different problems. Here are the top ten British dramas set in the past that can help you live for the future:

1.“Downton Abbey”

This show ended in 2015 but will forever be the crown jewel of British television. The series follows the Crawleys, a wealthy estate-owning family facing the trials and tribulations associated with the decline of their aristocratic way of life in the early 20th century. Watch it for Dame Maggie Smith’s iconic witty commentary alone.

2. “The Crown”

Queen Elizabeth II is rightly deserving of her own biopic, and “The Crown” beautifully portrays both the personal and national issues surrounding her reign. The show has a unique structure, as its upcoming third season has recast the royal family in order to shift the plot to a later period of Queen Elizabeth’s life.

3. “Outlander”

For those who think period dramas are dull and dusty, “Outlander” adds perilous adventure and intrigue. The series follows an English nurse after the end of World War II who visits the Scottish Highlands with her husband and travels 200 years in the past during a visit to an ancient stone relic. The protagonist is an unabashedly strong female character who proves herself in the most difficult circumstances. 

4. “Poldark”

Set on the picturesque cliffs of Cornwall after the American Revolution, “Poldark” tells the story of a British captain who returns from war to find his family, lovelife and property in disarray. The show is incredibly beautiful and romantic but also includes daring acts of bravery and questions of morality.

5. “Victoria”

Yet another beautiful story about an incredible woman in a powerful position, “Victoria” follows Britain’s youngest queen as she guides her empire through one of its most transformative periods – the Industrial Revolution. If you ignore the fact that Queen Victoria and her husband were first cousins, this show is handily the most romantic on the list. Its portrayal of the lives of both royals and servants also harkens back to “Downton Abbey.”

6. “Call the Midwife”

An adaptation of Jennifer Worth’s memoirs, “Call the Midwife” is based on the real lives of nurse midwives living and working at a convent in the impoverished East End in London. Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, this show is a heartwarming and sometimes hilarious bundle of joy.

7. “Pride and Prejudice”

Any mention of period dramas would be lacking without some reference to “Pride and Prejudice,” the Georgian Era gem about two strong-willed lovers who have to overcome – get this – pride and prejudice to realize that they belong together. Jane Austen’s classic book artfully maneuvers issues of manners, class, and misunderstanding. The only reason why this TV series ranks so low is that the 1995 production quality shows its gorgeous film adaptation. 

8. “The Durrells in Corfu”

Based on the novels by naturalist Gerald Durrell, “The Durrells in Corfu” follows an impoverished widow and her four exuberant children as they make the unconventional decision to leave behind 1930s England and make new lives for themselves on a sunny and singular island in Greece.

9. “Robin Hood”

This is a version of the classic tale everyone hears as children – a brave hero stealing from the rich to give back to the poor, fighting the evil sheriff with clever tricks and schemes. However, the show is worth watching not just for the nostalgia factor – it includes a strong female character who acts as the brains of Robin Hood’s operations. Even though “Robin Hood” is an excellent drama, it is ranked ninth because viewers can still tell it was filmed in the early 2000s because of the excessive amounts of eyeliner on the supposedly medieval female characters.

10. “Gentleman Jack”

Admittedly, I have not seen this show, but the premise alone warrants its inclusion on this list. “Gentleman Jack” is based on the diaries of industrialist and landowner Anne Lister who wrote in code about her romances with other women.