Review: Avalon Theatre Company's Performance-Driven Production of AGNES OF GOD

Playwright John Pielmeier has constructed an interesting work with Agnes of God. It's decidedly uneven in tone, and the template for the script is very similar to the one utilized by the far-superior Equus (as a learned colleague of mine pointed out), but it's an engaging and involving show nonetheless. Avalon Theatre Company's current production is certainly a solid one, driven by three fine performances and intelligent direction.

A young novice nun gives birth to a baby that's found dead in a wastebasket at the convent where she lives, and a psychiatrist is called in to evaluate her mental state and competency. The young novice is an especially interesting case, having been cloistered away and prevented from attending school by her abusive mother, before being further sheltered by the nuns at the convent. As such, she's ill-equipped to either comprehend or deal with her pregnancy, much less the aftermath.

Dr. Livingstone, who has a hidden agenda due to her sister having died from appendicitis in a nunnery when the Mother Superior refused to pursue the necessary medical treatment, is called in to appraise the situation, but finds herself becoming more and more personally involved. Mother Miriam (the only other character we see on stage) seeks to protect her young charge from being institutionalized, but she has secrets of her own that are driving her decisions. In the end, some questions are answered, but many remain unresolved.

The three actresses cast in Pielmeier's play have meaty roles, with plenty to chew on here, and each does stellar work. Erin Kelley is very good as the determined Dr. Livingstone, who refuses to take the easy way out with this case, and she's well-matched with Linda Kennedy as the feisty Mother Miriam Ruth. Kennedy mines the text for a considerable amount of humor, and manages to get some hearty laughs with her sassy demeanor. Sabra Sellers, as Sister Agnes, displays a lovely voice and deftly handles the dramatic changes her character goes through.

John Contini's direction is thoughtfully conceived, and he makes the most out of Pielmeier's tepid material. Contini's set design is also smartly constructed, and neatly blends the secular with the spiritual. John Burkley's lighting is moody and dramatic, capturing and focusing our attention when necessary. Lisa Drewd's costumes work well for each character, and Craig McCallister's special effects cleverly conjure up the stigmata and resultant blood that plagues the troubled Sister Agnes.

If you've only seen the movie version of John Pielmeier's play Agnes of God (1985), then you should check out Avalon Theatre Company's splendidly mounted production which closes their sixth season.

Agnes of God continues through May 8, 2011 in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court.