'Saint Joan' at CST Elegantly Defines Church and State

George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, currently playing at Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theatre, is a piece more about religion and politics than about a courageous woman burned at the stake and sainted almost five-hundred years later. For those of you hoping for an epic tale of battles, blood and bravery, Saint Joan is probably not for you and I would refer you to Mila Jovovich's 1999 portrayal of the Saint in The Messenger: the Story of Joan of Arc.

For those of you looking for a commentary on the effects religion and politics have on society in time of war, I very much recommend this production of

Saint Joan. Produced by the Canada Shaw Festival, Saint Joan finds a fitting home at the habitually and pleasantly verbose Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Director Jackie Maxwell (also Artistic Director of the Canada Shaw Festival) leaves the script entirely in tact and the language can become a bit overbearing for a younger audience looking for visual stimulation, although her stage pictures are quite stunning to the eye. With a strong and diverse ensemble, gorgeous sets and costumes and immaculate lighting, Saint Joan brings classic and elegant theatre to the Second City. 

Shaw follows the story of a young, ambitious and prideful girl who hears the voices of Saints and is given a mission from God (according to her) to save France from England and crown the Dauphin as rightful King. Throughout the story we are introduced to the men surrounding the church and state of France. All of these men at one point or another believe this woman (often referred to as 'the maid') and give her the power to act out "God's will". Joan is the only woman written in this script. By the end, those who believed in her waiver and she is excommunicated from the church and burned at the stake. Shaw never takes a side as to whether or not Joan actually hears the voices or whether or not the church is justified in its behavior throughout her trial. We never see Joan as heroine but as a woman with very strong ambitions and beliefs. It is a seemingly unbiased account of her life which he uses to comment on the workings of church, state and human behavior.

The cast is lead by Tara Rosling in the title role. Rosling certainly looks the part of Joan and plays it with strength, but her mannerisms and vocal inflections can become a bit repetitive and predictable as the play progresses. The driving force behind this story and show lacks endearing passion. The rest of the ensemble does an excellent job of making stuffy churchmen and politicians varied and diverse, all of them having a specific character and point of view. This is in thanks to Shaw's clear writing and Maxwell's precise directing, as well as the strong choices made by the ensemble. Norman Browning offers refreshing humor as the deadpan and stoic Archbishop of Rheims and Ben Carlson shows great range and depth in the divergent roles of Peter Cauchon and  the Bishop of Beauvais. Harry Judge's Dauphin brings an exciting energy to the show but it is often over-animated and takes us too far away from the realism and severity of the story.

The first half of this production seemed to drag on a bit at parts but the second half justifies the exposition-heavy former. Maxwell claims that Shaw's "work has relevance" and aside from aiming for an audience very familiar and comfortable with his work (no surprise coming from a festival honoring the playwright); this piece certainly has some relevance with our society. Although religion, its control and its connection to the State has become far less prevalent (especially in celebritized America), Saint Joan implores moral questions and beliefs upon its audience. We are left to wonder if we would know how to recognize a hero in our midst, or if we would send her to the stake like so many others.

Saint Joan runs until January 20 at the Chicago Shakespeare Courtyard Theatre. Show times/dates and ticket prices vary. For more information visit www.chicagoshakes.com or call the box office at 312.595.5600.

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