BWW Reviews: FREUD'S LAST SESSION Ignites Conversation at Theatre Three

At the encouragment of a friend I attended a class at Highland Park United Methodist Church on Sunday. Several weeks ago, the church started a series that explores Science and Religion, establishing both topics as valid methods through which to observe the world and allowing room for a dialogue between the two.

Hearing the pastor say candidly "There are things religion doesn't seek explain" was surprisingly cathartic.

Last night, C.S. Lewis repeated this sentiment. In FREUD'S LAST SESSION, Mark St. Germain imagines that in the final weeks of his life, the eponymous psychoanalyst summons Lewis to explain "why a man of your intellect, one who shared my convictions, could suddenly abandon truth and embrace an insidious lie." And one of the many answers Lewis offers in this 75 minute conversation is, "I don't know."

Before my church-going experience this week, I regarded civil discourse as a thing of the past. It seems conversations about morality or theology are rarely more expansive than a battle of who's right or wrong. To flip on a news station is to hear pundits talking over one another or vying for the last word. That a conversation about theology could end in a respectful stalemate seemed impossible.

In FREUD'S LAST SESSION what could've become a battle of wits is instead a tempered exploration of ideas that reveals conflicts, idiosyncrasies and the personalities beneath the beliefs upon which Lewis and Freud based their lives.

The play is set in 1939 on the day England entered World War II, underscored by radio broadcasts (some of which will be familiar to anyone who's seen THE KING'S SPEECH). Germain allows both characters to speak on many of the arguments associated with their careers, perhaps allowing Freud to deliver slightly more of the play's poignant lines. While Lewis is in the mid-life development of his Christianity, Freud approaches the end of an atheistic life.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION deconstructs many of the two men's arguments and character traits. Freud is unwilling to listen to music - is that because he can't understand its power? Lewis fears death - does that mean he doesn't trust God?

If the subject matter fails to intrigue you, Theatre Three's artistic director of more than 50 years Jac Alder gives a sweeping portrayal of Freud. As the cranky genius, Alder's stage presence is startling and he balances the intellectual pretension with a warm-hearted curiosity. He finds an eager counterpart in Cameron Cobb, who plays Professor Lewis with a touch of troubled anxiety. Terry Dobson's direction, while grounded for most of the play, wanders into frustrating presumption in the final scenes.

The entire play serves as a talking point for the rest of your evening. Clear your schedule and take a thoughtful friend. FREUD'S LAST SESSION puts belief on the couch, igniting conversation on both ends of an ever-present debate.

Photo by Jeffrey Schmidt