Doubt

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

In all actuality, there isn’t much controversial about the Pulitzer Tony Award-winning play Doubt produced by the Denver Center Theatre Company at the Ricketson Theatre.

Sam Gregory as Father Flynn and Jeanne Paulsen as Sister Aloysius in the Denver Center Theatre Company production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt A Parable by John Patrick Shanley. Photo by Terry Shapiro

What it does is bring to light an honest truth: false accusations create havoc. People believe what they want to believe, right, wrong or indifferent.

Although Doubt centers on wrongful insinuations of a Roman Catholic priest, in light of the overwhelming number of cases where priests have indeed molested children, there have been several cases where priests have been accused who were innocent. False accusations don’t stop there. It creeps into every denomination, business, and social situation imaginable. Where humanity lives, false accusations thrive.

The Internet is over run with all kinds of accusing websites. Anyone can post an accusation without being held accountable. The media feeds on celebrity gossip. Society eats it up screaming for more. Truth has nothing to do with the hunger.

False accusations are as dangerous as committing a crime. Once accused, the person can do absolutely nothing. Accountability by the accuser isn’t expected or demanded. Proof goes poof.

Doubt takes us back to 1964 to St. Nicholas, a Catholic Church and school in New York’s Bronx. Principal, Sister Aloysius, (Jeanne Paulsen) runs the school on a strict-go-by-the-book- legalistic-uptight-as-an-e-string-on-a-violin diet. For some unknown reason she clings to a vendetta against Father Flynn, (Sam Gregory). In her eyes, the only solution to her problem is to get rid of him.

Directed by Bruce K. Sevy, the varied scenes between the pulpit, the office, and the garden run smoothly and easily fitting the parts snugly into a whole.

As gripping as the storyline is, as are all “accusational” stories, Paulsen’s Sister Aloysius comes across lacking authoritative charismatic power. Her voice too soft for the harsh words, except when she yells, which she tends to do a great deal. Yelling does not signal charisma or authority. It signals yelling. She has several very funny lines especially in Act One running true to comedic timing, but funny lines rub inappropriately against her personality. She does not strike me as someone who lives under a sharpened sense of humor. There are some people who come up with funny lines without intention, and others who deliberately calculate the funniness. The lines in the play read as though they are calculated, coming across as being out of character for her. Her lack of authoritarian charisma dilutes the impact of the play.

Sister James, wonderfully played by Nisi Sturgis, gives us a young, idealistic teacher, full of life, believing in the goodness of people and at the same time, caught up in the web of wanting to please a superior. That isn’t going to happen. Sister James can’t have it both ways. In honesty, she believes Father Flynn, but lacks emotional experienced strength to stand up to her beliefs. She wants to do what Sister Aloysius wants her to do, but that won’t happen either, at least not when it really counts. Sturgis wears the inner turmoil of Sister James from hesitant body language to a wobbly cracking voice.

Positive upbeat, thoughtful, sensitive Father Flynn obviously cares about his students. Aware of the precariousness of the one black student’s awkward position, he has a sound plan to keep Donald Muller out of a devastating position. It would have worked if Sister Aloysius hadn’t been determined to bring him down. She has absolutely no proof of anything happening inappropriately between the priest and Donald. Who knows what lies behind her sense of suspicion? Sexual tension? Jealousy? Threatened by his strong endearing personality? Gregory plays the Father straightforward under a sound believable umbrella. Here before us stands a likable man, an honorable man, living his convictions. Under false pretenses a meeting has been called, he thinks, to discuss the Christmas Pageant, which Sister Aloysius hates. He thinks a modern touch should be added like incorporating the song It’s Beginning To Look A Like Christmas or even Frosty the Snowman. That’s not what the meeting is all about. He’s trapped and there is absolutely nothing he can do. A knockdown dragged out confrontation with Sister Aloysius only makes her yell louder, throwing him into stunned reality. The Sisters have no authority over the priests, a point he vehemently states, but that doesn’t make any difference to Sister Aloysius.

Kim Staunton as Mrs. Muller, Donny Mueller’s mother, breaks the heart showing a woman, wife, and mother of great strength and wisdom, but who must walk a fine line in her family’s structure, She knows her husband’s violence. She understands her son’s tendencies, She wants desperately for him to graduate in a couple of months. Next year he will go to public high school. He’s heart broken over the mistake he made, She had to silently watch while her husband beat him, not because of the mistake he made, but because of who he is becoming. She wants him to be proud no matter who he is. Sister Aloysius’ insinuations get her where she lives. Courage and conviction feeds her to stand her ground. Staunton provides strength and power to her voice while Sister Aloysius only yells her rage.

The final shattering scene hints at another story begging to be told: motivation and what makes people tick. In this scene Paulsen comes through with perception and insight into Sister Aloysius. She’s won the battle, but now has to face a hard, cold truth covered by years of Habit and habits.

The set designed by Vicki Smith is stunning use of the Ricketson stage. The Principal’s stark and sterile office slides in and out in the center, encircled by the outside yard, and pulpit built into far stage right where Father Flynn explores openly his thoughts gleaned from conversations as they relate to Faith, his and his parishioners.

Lighting designed by Jane Spencer hammered away at the emotional roller coaster ride of the play carrying its own authoritarian charisma.

In spite of the weakness in the production, there is no question Doubt is an extremely important work. Shedding light on a serious flaw built into the human psyche. Wanting to believe whatever it wants to believe without finding out the truth. This play should spark serous discussions all over the city even though it is a work in progress, but, oh, what a work for progress to snuggle close to.