NO DOUBT ABOUT IT– THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Kathleen Silloway and Jalena Montrond Scott
Photo by by Katherine Roundy

By Tina Arth

Mask & Mirror was hit with every company’s worst nightmare last week, when their production of Doubt, A Parable lost its male lead to emergency surgery four days before opening. With only two-week run and no understudy waiting in the wings, Director Aaron Morrow made the only rational choice and stepped into the role, reasoning that at least he was very familiar with the script, knew the blocking, and was intimately acquainted with the director’s vision. At Thursday night’s dress rehearsal, it was clear that the show is a labor of love for all concerned and that the (we hope temporary) loss of a lead will not be allowed to cripple the production.

Playwright John Patrick Shanley’s 2004 work is a chameleon-like tale of suspicion, conviction, strength, pragmatism, racism, institutional chauvinism, and, of course, doubt. Set in a Catholic school in 1964, it tells the story of a fierce conflict between the school principal, Sister Aloysius Beauvier, and the parish priest, the charismatic Father Brendan Flynn. Father Flynn gives a stirring sermon on doubt that alarms Sister Aloysius, who suspects that the priest has inadvertently revealed his own personal weaknesses. Her suspicions are heightened when young Sister James reveals that 12-year-old Donald Muller, the school’s first and only African American student, had met alone with Father Flynn and returned to class somewhat dazed and smelling of alcohol. Based on the her years of experience and her instincts, fueled by her unshakeable mistrust of almost everyone, Sister Aloysius concludes that Father Flynn has developed an inappropriate relationship with Donald, and she desperately seeks a way to either expose the errant priest or at least get him removed from the parish. Sister Aloysius has a series of confrontations with Father Flynn, Donald’s mother, and Sister James, leading the audience through a roller coaster of reactions and leaving us with a muddy, thought-provoking picture of a troubled and sometimes dysfunctional Church as well as a mother doing her best to protect her son the only way she can.

Amelia Michaels does a fine job as the naïve, idealistic young nun who has no adult experience of the outside world. Michaels is convincingly unable to comprehend the possible evil around her, and she deftly manages to look up to her superior without accepting Aloysius’ dark worldview.

The other three roles (Father Flynn, Sister Aloysius, and Mrs. Muller) are so dense and meaty that they demand audience scrutiny of every word, gesture and look in order to discern the characters’ motivations. Kathleen Silloway (Aloysius) is exactly the nun she needs to be – stern, upright, an immoveable force who will not be deterred from her path of righteousness. At times she simply quivers with outrage, yet she never completely loses it (at least, not until the closing scene). Jalena Montrond Scott (Mrs. Muller) is absolutely awe-inspiring – watching her in the intimacy of the Heritage Center is like getting a master class in acting. Her riveting performance led me through a series of emotions as she gradually revealed her complex motivations, and she left me contemplating themes well outside the show’s central thesis. I can never completely comprehend the challenges of raising an African American child (in 1964, or in 2019) but I know a lot more now than I did before I saw her on stage.

Aaron Morrow’s accomplishment is not in giving a brilliant performance as Father Flynn (simply not an option, given the timing and the nature of the role) but in delivering a credible performance that in no way detracts from the overall power of the play. He disguises the fact that he’s still on-book with notes for a sermon and a handy Bible, and rarely reveals that he is reading his lines. Some of the best bits involve subtle physical power struggles (like his casually taking over Aloysius’ desk whenever he enters her office) and powerful emotional outbursts, and Morrow handles both with ease.

One small complaint, perhaps easily remedied – the sound design overall is fine, but the simulation of wind is confusing (it sounds like some kind of odd feedback) and unnecessary, since the windstorm in question happened the night before.

With only a two-week run, there are very few opportunities to see Doubt, and it is definitely worth 1.5 hours of your life (not counting the hours you’ll spend after the show, contemplating what you’ve seen). This is another of the UnMasked shows that might benefit from an audience talkback, if the actors are willing.

Mask & Mirror’s Doubt, A Parable is playing at The Tualatin Heritage Center, 8700 SW Sweek Drive, Tualatin, through Sunday, January 27, with performances at 7:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 on Sundays.