Tempest In A Teapot? | Lally Cadeau (left) is convinced John Ullyatt (centre) is guilty of molesting an altarboy, but Clarice Eckford (right) isn’t quite so sure in Doubt.
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Directed by Tom Wood. Written by John Patrick Shanley. Starring Lally Cadeau, John Ullyatt, Clarice Eckford, Karen Robinson. Shoctor Theatre, The Citadel. To Mar 29. Tickets available through the Citadel box office (425-1820).
****
Doubt is a dreadful feeling. Unlike anger, it doesn’t subside, or pour out, like sadness. Instead, it settles in, takes its time, nags at us — doubt is in it for the long run.
Certainty is a much more pleasant state of being. It’s calm, still, and self-assured. If you are certain, there is no risk of being wrong, or of feeling regret. But if you doubt someone’s intentions with complete certainty, you are in the unique position of being Doubt’s Sister Aloysius (Lally Cadeau), principal of St. Nicholas Church School. Her natural aptitude for distrust is akin to that of a police officer and, as I’m sure Sister Aloysius would see it, her duty is a similar one: keeping her charges safe, at their desks, getting a solid education surrounded by four equally solid stone walls and then getting them out the door. As she instructs the fresh-faced Sister James (Clarice Eckford) on how to run a more disciplined classroom, Aloysius argues, “Innocence can only be wisdom in a world without evil.”
With revolutionary changes stirring New York City in the ’60s, Aloysius keeps her sharp gaze focused on protecting her students. When a forward-thinking priest, Father Flynn (John Ullyatt), shows a special interest in St. Nicholas’ first black student, Donald Muller, suspicion quickly grows. And when Sister James notices something is off about Donald after his return from a talk with Flynn in the rectory, suspicion turns to conviction, but, unlike everything else in Sister Aloysius’ life, the evidence is anything but solid.
Doubt, and its Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Patrick Shanley, are not afraid of ambiguity. As the play unwinds, Cadeau does an absolutely unwavering job of convincing the audience of Father Flynn’s guilt. But the audience is destined to have that conviction swept away by the pleas of innocence from John Ullyatt’s friendly Flynn. What’s a person to think?
As your mind reels around this clash of confidence, there’s no doubt about the performances — they are captivating. Cadeau’s super-stern Aloysius cracks with humour, as she laments the almost certain downfall of humanity thanks to the ballpoint pen and commands Sister James to “not be charmed by cleverness. Not theirs and not yours.”
Sister James reflects the audience’s own confusion and desire for the mystery to be solved satisfactorily. Though Eckford seems a touch too wide-eyed at first, when her enthusiasm falters and she’s forced into a period of tortured deliberation, Sister James becomes a much-needed touchstone throughout the play.
The most stunning scene is Sister Aloysius’ encounter with Mrs. Muller (Karen Robinson), who has the difficult task of finding the best way out from between a rock and a hard place. Resolving to put her son’s future ahead of his present, Muller implores Sister Aloysius to let the investigation rest. Watching Robinson plead her case is like watching a heart break, and then resolve to keep on beating.
The great blocks of sandy brick that flank these potent performances only serve to heighten the sense that these individuals are on the verge of being swallowed whole by suspicion, accusation, gossip, and doubt. The stage is set rather smartly, with flats that pivot in and out, forming walkways to the courtyard and splitting to form the church’s chancel. Lighting plays a more delicate role, either casting sunshine on Cadeau’s face as she stares out her office window, or darkening to create the impression that the audience is Father Flynn’s congregation facing into the vastness of a Catholic church.
Conclusions as to Flynn’s guilt or innocence are up to each individual theatregoer, but this cast will definitely have you rocking back and forth, like a rowboat splashing about in a storm of uncertainty. And as you vacillate between agreeing with Aloysius’ dogged pursuit of evil and Flynn’s good nature, whatever you decide, Doubt is certain to fascinate.
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