Doubt – A Parable
Doubt – A Parable
By John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Chris Jorie
Starring T. Robert Pigott and Christine Decker
Orlando Theater Project at The Orlando Shakespeare Festival</strong>
Daddy taught me to never play poker with anyone named “Frenchy” or “Doc”. I don’t recommend playing against Sister Aloysius (Decker), either. She’s got a heart of stone and a face that relays a single emotion -“You’ve sinned, and I expect a FULL confession.” She’s crossed paths with Father Flynn (Pigott), convinced he’s abusing little boys, and determined to bring him down. Against her ice and granite is joyous Sister James (Ame Livingston), a naïve woman with a gift for and joy in teaching children. Sister Aloysius brings Sister James around to her own stern teaching methods (no pain is too great when teaching love and virtue) and simultaneously brings her into the plot to reveal Father Flynn’s sins. Everything is purposely ambiguous. Motivation and actions becoming murkier and murkier, and when everyone finally agrees upon an answer, it’s Sister Aloysius who breaks. Her Vatican-class diplomatic maneuvering leaves her with one huge question unanswered – ‘What is truth?”
Despite the sordid and depressing story line, this is a great comedy. Sister Aloysius gets almost all the laughs as she justifies her knuckle rapping school of schooling. Decker’s serious demeanor and ominous habit make her scary even on the other side of the 4th wall. Pigott’s Flynn is the coach and teacher you always respected and worked your hardest for. Whether he’s guilty or not, you have to admit he’s a charmer, and his sermons are actually much better than the ones I’m used to at church. But its sister James you’d prefer as your pedagogue, her niceness is infectious to the point of making bullies play nice with nerds. The supporting role of the possibly abused boy goes to Elle Vernee, an elegant and self assured woman who would defend her child to the ends of death row.
“Doubt” calls it self a parable, a story that need not be true but which casts truth in a clear, sharp light. A number of truths lurk here – what were Father Flynn’s motivations, is it fair to accuse without solid evidence or convict with out at least on corroborating witness, and how can we be so cruel to those for who we profess love? Shanley sums it up as “Killing kindness in the name of virtue”, a sin that most righteous commit with practiced ease. This production is well written, well executed, timely and timeless – no doubt about that.
For more information on Orlando Theater Project, please visit http://www.otp.cc
