If you haven't read the extatic reviews for Doubt, I've taken the liberty of posting some musings here.
First, the NEW YORK TIMES raves:
George Street Playhouse has mounted a
"striking new production...with outstanding performances by the four-person cast under Anders Cato’s taut direction, a stunning rotating setting by Hugh Landwehr, evocatively lighted by Daniel J. Kotlowitz, and an arresting score by Scott Killian, this “Doubt” manages to produce 90 minutes of theatrical fireworks."
"striking new production...with outstanding performances by the four-person cast under Anders Cato’s taut direction, a stunning rotating setting by Hugh Landwehr, evocatively lighted by Daniel J. Kotlowitz, and an arresting score by Scott Killian, this “Doubt” manages to produce 90 minutes of theatrical fireworks."
I'm not one to brag, but that's pretty great stuff there. But WAIT...there's more...some superlative praises for actress Ann Dowd.
"Ann Dowd is chilling as Sister Aloysius" - NY Times
"Ann Dowd is astonishing as Sister Aloysius" - The Star Ledger
"Dowd may have been born to play this role" - The Home News Tribune
"Ann Dowd is astonishing as Sister Aloysius" - The Star Ledger
"Dowd may have been born to play this role" - The Home News Tribune
and of course, plenty to say about the other actors in this production:
"[Meghan] Andrews is so credible as the inexperienced and idealistic young teacher that her alternating fear, nervousness, disappointment and elation ripple palpably through the theater as she performs." - Home News Tribune
"[Meghan] Andrews is so credible as the inexperienced and idealistic young teacher that her alternating fear, nervousness, disappointment and elation ripple palpably through the theater as she performs." - Home News Tribune
"Dylan Chalfy’s Father Flynn comes alive" - NY Times
"Sister James, an inexperienced but highly idealistic teacher, played with heartbreaking intensity by Meghan Andrews" - NY Times
"Sister James, an inexperienced but highly idealistic teacher, played with heartbreaking intensity by Meghan Andrews" - NY Times
Coleman's "performance on opening night prompted the audience to interrupt the play with applause." - Home News Tribune.
Given all this, if you haven't yet seen this production, you only have one more week! Be sure to come back here to vote and leave your comments about the production
posted by Scott Goldman, Executive Assistant
1 comment:
Dear GSP,
My wife and I just returned home from seeing the last performance of "Doubt." One of the best plays we've ever seen performed at GSP. The actors were great fits for the characters each of them portrayed.
Could we resolve our doubts? My wife felt that the deciding factor for her came when the mother reveals that her son is gay (boy, we didn't see this one coming even as PFLAG parents. Great job). That made her feel only compassion for the priest, that he was only trying to protect the boy's 1964 "taboo." As for me, I felt more information/evidence was needed (disclaimer here, I'm an attorney). What, if anything, did Father McGinn (since I don't have the script, I'm not sure of the spelling) know of how the boy got the wine? Or, for that matter, how did Father Flynn know the boy had gotten the wine in an illicit manner warranting removal of him as an altar boy? And what of the boy, what would he have said if he had been questioned about what happened? Why would he have wanted to get the wine anyway, knowing (may we assume that?) that doing so would result in removal as an altar boy if caught?
But if Father Flynn is innocent, then why does he back down when grilled by Sister Aloysius with her false past history accusations? If they are false, why doesn't he stand up to her since he knows they are false (they really are false, aren't they? Or is it possible that while the sister made the story up, there really is something sinister in the priest's past he thinks she now knows but she doesn't?).
I also question the very last scene. Sister Aloysius breaks down admitting doubt. After consistently claiming no doubt through 99% of the play, at the very end suddenly she has doubt?! Just because Sister James tells her that Father Flynn has gotten himself promoted? Maybe I missed something, but the ending just doesn't seem credible to me. I vote for doubting the Sister's new found doubt.
Too many unasked and unanswered questions. And so my doubt must remain.
Barry Fulmer
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