Show & Tell Review: Doubt: A Parable

True to its name, Doubt: A Parable leaves its audience with plenty to think about when the night is over. It’s a simple story with no clear answers. Set in the fictional St. Nicholas Church School, in the Bronx, in the early 1960s, John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt delivers an intense 90-minute story that keeps the audience almost breathless in anticipation of what is to come.

When the iron-fisted school principal, Sister Aloysius, learns from a younger nun and teacher, Sister James, that Father Brendan Flynn has had a one-on-one meeting with the school’s only African American student, Donald Muller, she immediately jumps to the conclusion that Father Flynn’s intentions were less than pure. When confronted, Father Flynn denies any wrongdoing saying that he caught the boy drinking the communion wine and was trying to save him the embarrassment of being removed from the altar boys.

Sister James is relieved by Father Flynn’s explanation and believes him. Sister Aloysius, however, is not satisfied and calls Donald’s mother in for a conference. Donald’s mother reveals to Sister Aloysius that the boy is continuously beaten while at home and expresses her desire to get him through the school year when he will move on to the high school. She begs Sister Aloysius to let him be.

When Father Flynn threatens to have Sister Aloysius removed if she doesn’t back down, she tells him that she has called his last parish and has learned of past infringements. Again, Father Flynn declares his innocence. When she refuses to believe him, Father Flynn calls the bishop asking for a transfer. He receives a transfer and a promotion. Learning this, Sister Aloysius reveals to Sister James that her phone call was a lie, and she is left with nothing but doubt.

Sister Aloysius is not the only one left with doubt. Since no clear answers are given, the audience is left to make its own assumptions. Was Sister Aloysius the iron-fisted, unchangeable cold person we thought she was … or was she a hero, protecting and defending the children in her school? Was Father Flynn the gentle, kind-hearted pastor … or was he a monster and a child molester?

The minimal cast of four is perfectly suited for their roles and delivers the story as if there were dozens of characters in the production. As serious as this topic is, the performance was peppered with small doses of humor that contributed to the believability of the characters. Additionally, the simple set and lack of scenery changes allowed the audience to focus on the story without distraction. The clever use of lighting contributed to the feel of the stage and gave the impression that scenery was changing even when things barely moved.

My initial reaction to this play and its simplistic nature was that it was lacking the “wow” factor. And, if you compare it to a musical like Cats or Phantom of the Opera, I suppose it was. I didn’t leave the Center exhilarated and over stimulated. I left deep in thought – and I’m still thinking about it today. The bottom line is the cast of Doubt delivered a flawless and powerful performance that left me with far more to think about than any other production I’ve seen. The more I think about it, it didn’t lack that “wow” factor. It was there. I just needed to see it for what it was. And, if there is one thing I learned from Doubt … don’t jump to conclusions or make premature judgments.

Show & Tell Review: Doubt: A Parable

I believe it is the TV show “Law & Order” that uses the advertising tagline of “Ripped from the headlines.” Although first written in 2004, writer John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt: A Parable could very easily use the exact same marketing line. With the current events that have occurred in the last six months or so – Bernie Fine, Jerry Sandusky, and the Milwaukee Catholic church scandals to name a few - Shanley’s play proves to be incredibly prescient.

The Montana Repertory Theatre did an excellent job bringing a difficult story to life on the stage of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. The story takes place in the Bronx, during the 1964 school year. Actor Brendan Shanahan performs admirably as Father Flynn, a priest accused of having an “unhealthy relationship” with an 8th grade boy. Suzy Hunt does an amazing job as Sister Aloysius, his accuser. The crux of story revolves around the actions of Father Flynn. Sister Aloysius believes he has sexually abused an 8th grade boy and is determined to prove it. Heavily hamstrung by the Church’s power structure and society’s beliefs in general, Sister Aloysius does what she can to get Father Flynn to admit his wrongdoing and to put a stop to his actions.

The play opens with Father Flynn at the pulpit giving a sermon that centers around doubt. If a theater goer has no idea about the general story of the play, the sermon proves to be an excellent piece of foreshadowing. If a theater goer does have that knowledge, the sermon immediately gets your mind thinking about what this man has done and how personal his sermon is. It works as an excellent way to draw the audience in from the get go. From the opening moments, I was sucked in. The rest of the play did not disappoint.

Though the subject matter of the play is difficult and uncomfortable, it is presented on stage with a tastefulness that is far from offensive. The abuse “act” does not occur on stage. There are no lurid descriptions. There is no offensive language. Just a good, albeit tragic, story.

Going into this performance I was expecting a heavy, depressing story. I had serious questions about how the topic of sexual abuse was going to be presented. In my mind I could see it going 800 different directions. And most of those were bad. I should have learned by now that the Fox Cities P.A.C. would allow for nothing worse than a great production. The Montana Rep did an excellent job with Shanley’s play, which on the surface, appears to be about a priest that molests a boy. Having seen the play, it is about so much more – faith, trust, friendship, the church, race, parenting, teaching, women’s place in society, moral obligations, perseverance, monsters, and more. Doubt: A Parable is set in 1964, but it could easily be updated to 2012. All it would need is a few costume changes and the nuns to be depicted as teachers. Everything else could pretty much remain the same. It would be just as powerful.

The scenery used for the play is definitely minimalist. A desk, two chairs, and a bookshelf remain onstage for the duration and are used for Sister Aloysius’ office. Fifteen feet away are two benches and two small bushes used to represent a courtyard area. A back drop hangs behind the set pieces to close off the rest of the stage. It’s this backdrop, along with some good lighting, that provided some of the most poignant moments of the play. There were times during the play where the backdrop acted as a mirror and reflected the actors onstage. It seemed to provide a commentary to the conversations occurring - characters needed to look at themselves in the context of what they were saying. It was one more subtle layer added to what the play was about. 

Lighting was used well throughout. It almost seemed to reflect the mood of each scene. It was more subdue during personal conversations and became brightly intense during tense discussions, especially during the courtroom drama-like climax. (It wasn’t set in a courtroom but the movie buff in me wanted so badly for Father Flynn to shout, “You can’t handle the truth!”) I think the lighting also served to enhance the feeling of loneliness of Sister Aloysius and her fellow nun Sister James. The characters, sat spotlighted in one small area while the rest of the stage remained ominously dark.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’ll come right out and say it… I really enjoyed the performance. A tough subject to be sure, but it was handled in a humanistic manner that screamed “real life.” The touches of humor that ran throughout were as surprising as they were well-placed, and worked well in balancing out the heavy issues being tackled. If you ever get a chance to see a performance of Doubt: A Parable, I recommend you go. It won’t necessarily be what you’d expect, but it will be a good show.

Discover Doubt: A Parable with Insights from the Cast

On February 21, Montana Repertory Theatre will tackle faith, trust, mendacity, friendship and the Church with a deft and insightful touch at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center with Doubt:A Parable. 

It’s 1964 and the impressionable Sister James reports a dubious exchange between a young student and the charismatic Father Flynn to the strict principal of St. Nicholas Church School. Sister Aloysius, unsatisfied by an elementary explanation, seeks the truth within a cloak of suspicion, mistrust and doubt woven together in a Tony® Award-winning play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley.

Here’s what the cast has to say about Doubt!

Q. Doubt deals with some very serious accusations. How much of the play really focuses on allegations within the Church? 

Caitlin Mcrae While the story of Doubt: A Parable takes place within the Catholic Church, it serves as an illustration of the reality that we, as humans, are often quick to assign blame and judgment. Or, on the opposite side of the argument, we avoid taking a stance. We avoid speaking up for fear of being wrong, and, in doing so, we risk allowing dire problems to continue.

Q. Doubt is largely a character drama, pitting Father Flynn against Sister Aloysius. Which character do you think the audience connects with most? 

Sarina Hart I personally believe the character that audiences will connect with the most is Sister James. She is the audience's voice in the show. Her struggle with the situation is what the audience itself is going through.

Brendan Shanahan Sister Aloysius has that voice of suspicion then accusation before the audience hears anything to the contrary and they, for the most part, go right along with her. Once that seed of doubt is implanted in their minds it’s hard to change it. However, there is a good portion of the audience that will be pulled in both directions along with Sister James from scene to scene, which is what makes this play so good.

Q. How does preparing for a national tour differ from producing a show for your home theater?

Brendan Shanahan Touring is unique in that we don't just come to the theater, perform the show and go home. We work and live with the company members and that's really where the term “theater family” becomes very tangible. And with this particular, thought provoking play, it will be fascinating to see the differing reactions from region to region.

Q. How do you hope audience will react to this play?

Sarina Hart I hope they gasp with astonishment. I hope they shake their heads with incredulity. But mostly, I hope they leave the theater without having their mind made up. 

Brendan Shanahan Applause and standing ovations, of course. I hope the audience is willing to think about and discuss the larger themes of the play. Not just "did he do it or not."

  

Without a doubt, this play will have you on the edge of your seat! To learn more, visit foxcitiespac.com.