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Reverend Lionel Espy wants "something besides silence" from God.

Saturday May 05, 2001.     By Richard Henzel

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Organic Theatre

Reverend Lionel Espy is praying. The aging vicar wants "something besides silence" from God. He wants to know why there is so much human misery, suffering, and hunger in the world, and why the church is so helpless when it comes to giving real comfort to those who are suffering. It is a simple prayer, and in Mike Nussbaum's honest and unaffected performance of it, one finds oneself sadly asking the same questions.

This first private prayer becomes the glue which connects David Hare's dark and disturbing drama. Most of the characters at some point address the Lord in private, in the process revealing much about themselves that is never revealed publicly. Some very memorable moments occur during these dialogues with God: Brad Armacost's endearing Reverend "Streaky" Bacon thanking God for His most perfect gifts: the taste of rum, the savor of curried goat, the love of good friends; Jim Ortleib, in a masterfully understated, cliche-free and radiant performance as a closeted gay vicar named Harry Henderson, confides in God that although he only kissed one man during his entire college career, and that that moment was his fondest memory of that period of his life; Thomas Gebbia, in a manic, energized counterpoint to Nussbaum's Lionel, as the zealous Reverend Tony Ferris, a British theological bottom-liner who measures the Church's effectiveness by attendance records and promotional campaigns, prays "I want a full church--is that so disgraceful?"; Lisa Nicholls as businesswoman Frances Parnell, is elegantly attractive, even in blue jeans, and in her prayer seems to flirt good-naturedly with God himself; and Bill Norris, perfectly cast as Bishop Charlie Allen, Espy's brass-balled superior, turns his prayer into a stern, businesslike and chummy chat with God.

The story that is held together by these prayers follows the fate of Rev. Lionel Espy (Nussbaum), who is challenged by the Bishop (Norris) to "play by the rules" and to "fulfill his job description" and " to perform the sacrament and look cheerful while you're doing it." Meanwhile, Rev. Tony Ferris, who has recently had a "born again" experience, loses his girlfriend, Frances, when she gets fed up with Tony's insistence in always placing Christ "bang in the center of things" except while they're making love. When Tony eavesdrops on Lionel as he comforts a woman in crisis over a recent abortion (Jenna Ford Jackson, in a heartbreakingly real performance), he is shocked to hear Lionel tell the woman, "I don't know if God will help you, but you have a friend here who will listen." After she leaves, Tony berates Lionel for letting her "get away." Tony takes it upon himself to complain to the Bishop and mounts a campaign for Lionel's removal. Thus begins the systematic destruction of Espy's career.

Balancing out the bleakness and theology are three love stories: the faded love of Lionel and his ailing wife, Heather (another strong performance, by Patricia Donegan); the aforementioned on-again off-again romance between Tony and Frances; and most movingly, the touching, bittersweet love between Reverend Harry (Ortleib) and and young Scottish actor named Ewen Gilmour. Even during their bitterest disagreements, Harry's love for Ewen shines from his eyes. Quirky, interesting newcomer Martin McClendon wears Ewen's curt and self-absorbed mask of proud reserve with just enough cracks to let occasional brilliant rays of his very real love for Harry streak through. Sadly, even Harry and Ewen don't get away with too much happiness, when sleazy newsman Tommy Adair (played with unctuous gusto by Michael Hagedorn) "outs" Harry and forces him to leave London.

Ina Marlowe has assembled a world-class cast for David Hare's world-class drama, and has staged it simply, keeping us absorbed with words and feelings rather that fancy stage craft. Kevin Snow's textured lighting and Joseph P. Tilford's spare but elegant wood floor and twin columns work together to invoke a great variety of locations, quickly drawing us into each scene. Patricia Hart's careful and authentic ecclesiastical costuming adds clarity and depth to the hierarchical relationships between he characters.

All in all, it is a momentous start for the newly formed Organic Touchstone Company, and a production that it would be a sin to miss. (sorry about that)

-- Richard Henzel