Reviewed by Judy Richter
One seldom sees plays that deal
directly with religion, but Aurora Theatre Company is staging one -- "The
Busy World Is Hushed"
by Keith Bunin.
The action takes place in a seminary apartment occupied by Hannah (Anne
Darragh), an
Episcopalian priest, teacher and Bible scholar. She has come across a newly
discovered gospel and hires a young man, Brandt (Chad Deverman), to ghost-write a book about
it. She believes it dates back to about 50 or 60 A.D. and that it predates the
gospels that make up the present-day Bible.
In
addition to her scholarly explorations into Christianity, she's dealing with
her son, Thomas (James Wagner), a restless, wandering 26-year-old who has temporarily
returned home. He's trying to learn more about his father, who might have
committed suicide a few months before he was born. He's also trying to bridge
the gulf between himself and his mother, and she's trying to do the same, but
they've had little success. In the meantime, Brandt is coping with a his own
family crisis -- his father has a brain tumor that will kill him. Brandt and
Thomas, both about the same age and both gay, fall in love with Hannah's
blessing. She's hoping that having someone to love will help Thomas settle
down.
The
play is full of theological discussions, most of them having to do with
religious faith and history. The discussions become more heated and
confrontational in Act 2, when Thomas accuses his mother of using her religion
to avoid dealing with the pain of her husband's death and consequently with her
son. Thomas and Brandt also have their confrontation, as do Brandt and Hannah.
It's almost too much as emotions run high with little resolution. Finally,
Thomas in effect forces Hannah to choose between him and her faith -- a
soul-wrenching decision for her.
Director
Robin Stanton keeps
the action tight on Eric E. Sinkkonen's set with its stained glass windows, a work table and
some chairs. The dramatic lighting is by Kurt Landisman, the costumes by Rebecca Ann
Valentino, and
the sound and music by Chris Houston.
Despite
some heavy-handedness in the script -- especially the theological discussions
and the Act 2 confrontations -- the play is thought-provoking in its probing of
the complex relationships. Those relationships are clearly delineated by the
carefully nuanced performances of the three actors.
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