BWW Reviews: PAUL at The Gamm Theatre

Howard Brenton's play Paul, which is making its North American debut at the Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket, RI is a fictionalized depiction of what happened to Saul of Tarsus, one of the most notorious persecutors of Christians.  

After Saul's conversion / intervention on the road to Damascus, he became the Apostle Paul, the most prolific writer of the New Testament.  While the focus remains on Paul (Alexander Platt), Brenton has created a heretical back-story for Jesus (Cedric Lilly), his brother James (Marc Dante Mancini), disciple Peter (Jim O'Brien), and Mary Magdelene (Karen Carpenter).

In this telling, Jesus was gravely wounded on the cross, but did not die.  The soldiers at Calvary were bribed to look the other way and Jesus' disciples and family spirited him away into hiding.  The "rose from the grave" part of the good news is simply a rumor that got way out of hand.  Years later, after hearing that Saul is systematically searching for and killing Christians, James, Peter and Jesus decide that Jesus needs to appeal directly to Saul and convince him that he is misguided and must follow the Great Teacher.

The story is intriguing; the writing tight. Brenton approaches and presents the story with an unlikely reverence, weaving a story of redemption and the ultimate power of faith; though Paul is blasphemous by any measure.  With the late stage introduction of the villainous Nero, delightfully played by an alabaster-painted Kelby T. Akin, Paul is more evocative of the HBO series "Rome" than it is of a traditional Biblical story.

As Artistic Director of the Gamm, Tony Estrella chose well when he chose to produce this work. Estrella also directs the play and gets some great acting out of this cast.

Alexander Platt does a terrific job as the title character.  It may make the audience uncomfortable to see Paul as a near-crazed zealot, rather than a beloved apostle, but Platt excels in the role.

Karen Carpenter turns in a fine performance as Mary Magdelene, who is convinced that if the world remembers her husband as the Messiah, she will be erased from history. The Son of God could not have married that whore, could he?  

Making his Gamm debut, Cedric Lilly, who the audience may remember from The Black Rep's production of Bug a few years ago, is an intriguing Yeshua / Jesus, the man; not the Messiah

As Peter, The Rock upon which the Church was built, Jim O'Brien takes good advantage of his meaty role.  Brenton keeps Peter, who famously denied Jesus three times, as the founder of modern Christianity; making his faith more important than the truth.
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Paul plays at the Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre through April 17, 2011.  Tickets range from $30 - $40 and can be purchased at the Box Office, located at 172 Exchange St., Pawtucket, by phone (401) 723-4266, or online at www.gammtheatre.org

Photo: Alexander Platt as Paul / Photo by Peter Goldberg.

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