Doubt at Le Petit Theatre
"Doubt can be bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty."
Doubt, written by John Patrick Shanley, is a
masterclass in suspenseful dialogue and deeply compelling story writing. This
play is perhaps one of the most recognizable Tony winners. It's basically
Shakespeare to any theater lover with persistent Catholic guilt. Doubt
is most well-known for its 2008, Oscar nominated film adaptation starring Meryl
Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis.
The story centers on Sister Aloysius, the strict principal
of a Catholic school, as she investigates parish priest Father Flynn following
suspicions raised by Sister James, a young and impressionable teacher, regarding
his relationship with the school's first African American student. After Sister
Aloysius' meeting with the boy's mother, Mrs. Muller, reveals new layers to his
home life, Sister Aloysius casts her doubts aside, set on removing Father Flynn
from the school. This production, directed by Ashley Santos, stars David Lind
as Father Flynn, Queen Shereen Macklin as Mrs. Muller, Elizabeth McCoy as
Sister James, Leslie Nipkow as Sister Aloysius.
Le Petit Theater delivers a loud yet contemplative
performance of this reputable show. While this show maintains a somber tone for
the most part, there are a few places that are played up for comedy. In the
beginning, Leslie Nipkow's performance read more like a disgruntled woman who
wants some company to gossip with rather than an authoritarian figure inflicting
her will on her employees. In the first scene, Sister James makes several
attempts to leave her office only to be stopped by Sister Aloysius' incessant
rambling. The audience even got some laughs out of her disdain for ballpoint
pens because they destroy the students' penmanship or her side-eyeing Father
Flynn because he takes three sugar cubes in his tea.
About midway through, Nipkow hones in on the severity of the
subject matter. When Sister Aloysius confronts Father Flynn for the first time
about his relationship with the boy, she unleashes a range of emotional
outbursts and subdued reflections. In this scene and the following
confrontation when Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn meet alone, Nipkow and Lind
really give this dialogue the time it needs to breathe and sink in.
The pivotal scene in this performance was Mrs. Muller's
meeting with Sister Aloysius, in which she finds out about Sister Aloysius'
suspicions. In the 2008 film, this scene is shot walking in the street because
Mrs. Muller has to get back to work. It gives us the impression that she wants
to move on from this incident quickly and leave it in the past, hoping for a
bright future for her son. In this performance, the entirety of the scene takes
place in Sister Aloysius' office, creating a brooding and confrontational
environment. Queen Shereen Macklin delivers an incredibly intense and sad
performance. Her subtle acts, like fidgeting with her gloves and indecisive
sitting down and getting up from her chair lets the audience feel her panic,
like she's squirming at the thought of something bad happening to her son.
Overall, this show delivers a variety of comedy, guilt,
subtlety, and sensationalism. You will feel heartbroken, suspicious, and—most
of all—you will doubt.
Doubt runs through May 18 at Le Petit Theatre,
located at 616 St. Peter St. Tickets are available at lepetittheatre.com.
