by Matt Storti
The Roundabout Theatre’s revival of Doubt: A Parable, written by John Patrick Shanley exceeded every expectation of greatness and speaks volumes about the work of actors that care about such a well-written script- no wonder it won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony.
Directed by Scott Ellis, Doubt displays the tug-of-war between the clerical staff of a Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964, where a priest: Father Flynn (Liev Schreiber), is accused by Sisters Aloysius (Amy Ryan), and James (Zoe Kazan) of fostering an inappropriate, physical relationship with an eighth-grader, Donald Mullen, who also happens to be the only Black student at the school.
There is an eloquent way in which the script creates an ebb and flow in its content. Barely grazing black and white, this play lives primarily in the gray area. With nothing concrete or blatant to grasp onto, the only thing to fixate on is the dialogue, which is made extremely easy by the performances. All of the actors are honest and stylistically fit into the naturalistic world created. Liev Schreiber portrays Father Flynn with the relatability of a fan-favorite priest while upholding the nuance of a “holier-than-thou” arrogance. Oppositely, Amy Ryan as Sister Aloysius personifies a rigidness that isn’t approachable and naturally repels the audience, only to draw them back in through her attempts to do what she believes is just. Ryan also adds a sense of humor to what is a rather dark piece, but in a way that sits well and isn’t obnoxious. Together the pair create a powerful contention that aids in the back-and-forth experience.
Sister James, played by Zoe Kazan embodies the truest form of Godliness in the play through her innocence and obedience, but funnily enough, is the presence that is most mangled and manipulated by two, arguably, more reverential figures. Outside of the administration, Quincy Tyler Bernstine as Mrs. Muller, Donald’s Mother, delivers a heartbreaking, truthful performance that layers racial tension, religious complications, and mothering a queer child in an abusive household in a neatly wrapped package. Every word that she utters, although inconceivable, feels rational.
Assisting the dialogue is simple, yet effective staging. Built upon instinct and life, there was a healthy marriage of stage awareness and sight-lines with non-theatrical movement. There is an understanding of the text that allows the writing to work in favor of the overarching theme without having to do extra signaling. Where of the two parties: Flynn and Aloysius, there is one that practices what they preach, and it is noticeable to the audience.
Technically, the scenic aspects of the play were beautifully decorated and even more beautifully functional. Textured stone buildings in the forefront, and a similar stone wall topped with a projection of the tops of church buildings to bring lightness to the upstage. There was a fly-in stained glass window for the sermon monologues and lockers for the gym scene, otherwise, it was a large, to-life principal’s office that rotated to create the courtyard garden, with the addition of a gate and bench. What is so special about this design is that the audience has a relative idea of the groundwork. The garden is outside of the windows in the principal’s office, and when the characters are staring out the window, we are aware that they are looking at the rectory, forty feet across the yard. Genius. The lighting, though nothing overly complicated, fit the show and emanated the sunlight peering in through the school windows. The costuming was correct and impactful.
The nature of this theatrical experience was simply perfection. Without reinventing the wheel, the Roundabout produced a solid, moving piece of art. It is interesting how Broadway can be overwhelmingly successful in the absence of bells and whistles, though it’s clear that some people have their doubts.
Matt Storti (they/she) is a creative based in NYC and has been writing pop-culture pieces and reviews since they were in high school. Matt loves keeping up with trends, iconic pop-culture moments, and entertainment in the worlds of cinema/television, art, theatre, and fashion. As a writer, Matt approaches their work with a conversationalist style and humor. To hear more from Matt, tune into their podcast “You Look, Good!” on Spotify & Apple Music.
