Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, is a story about that- what happens when we look behind the hard outer layer of something and you let yourself listen to doubt? This play inspires provocation in its questions and as an audience you leave asking them. Who do you believe? Who is in the right? What do I believe? The list goes on.
Amongst the austere setting of the church and the (unfortunately) familiar story of a suspect male priest is subtle, comments on a women’s role within the Catholic church and how in the pursuit of fundamentally an honest intention they are painted as wrong or evil.
The epitome of this is portrayed by Monica Dolan as Sister Aloysius Beauvier, who's quick whit is brilliantly executed through her enduring and berating pursuit of the truth. Its quite heart breaking to see someone do the right thing, while the whole time being questioned as to weather it is the right thing to be doing, and indeed while others around you are manipulated or persuaded in to having doubts towards your intentions.
Sam Spruell gives a really well pitched performance of Father Brendan Flynn along with Rebecca Scroggs as the mother of a child at the school who is suspected to have been mistreated by a male priest. Spruell is almost sickly, slimy in his portrayal of the passionate priest in question and it really sings home how he wants to progress the church but in doing so is keeping it in the past. Jessica Rhodes performance as Sister James was a little pedestrian and left me wondering if a more charismatic or unexpected actor could have been cast to really give the role a spark.
However the company of four must be praised for the dialect work in the piece, William Conacher doing a wonderful job of supporting the actors while they navigate the space.
The brilliantly cold expressionistic designed set by Joanna Scotcher gave so much scope for the lighting design of Paul Keoghan that gives both hope and oppression by sculpted slits of light, a really subtle and simple choice that paid off and displayed a brilliant collaboration between direction, design and lighting.
Although Doubt arguably in current times isn’t the most progressive or relevant show to be given space, its so gratifying to see a full auditorium of newly confident theatre goers, and if this can set the trend of encouraging and giving confidence to our regional theatres then long may it continue. Doubt will leave you constantly flipping between what side of the fence you are on and as a audience it is a thrilling battle of judgement to see played out by a strong direction lead piece of collaboration from all parts of the creative team.
Review by Phoebe Hyder
Rating: ★★★★
