| . | 02/24/2009
Avow
By: Eugene Paul
Timothy Sekk, Jaron Farnham and Jeremiah Wiggins
One of the reasons new plays are showcased off Broadway, or Off-Off, or Off-Off-Off is that the configurations of bringing new work to the commercial theater have become so convoluted by the costs involved it is almost impossible to keep a show running, let alone make any money. How, then, to mount a show? So that when a play has the potential of becoming that main stage miracle, it is even more exasperating to find that the people involved have lost all perspective and do not recognize what they have, a not uncommon circumstance considering that putting on a play demands total devotion. Devotion, in more ways than one, is the main problem with Bill C. Davis’s interesting, new play, Avow. It has the bones to be far more than “interesting”; it can be compelling; it can deliver new and necessary wisdom. But the concentration on telling a small, conventional story – conventional these unconventional days – has masked and muddled a much larger, vibrant theme: is true goodness achievable only through adherence to dogma?
Brian and Tom, (Timothy Sekk and Jaron Farnham) have come to Father Raymond (Jeremiah Wiggins), their parish priest, to ask him to marry them, having seen what they interpret as signs that he is open to their desire to be married. They’re nervous, yes, but they have been good and faithful adherents in his church, have lived together for three years ands are very much in love. Father Raymond demurs, questions the integrity of their caring. The Catholic Church frowns on homosexuals, on homosexual behavior, on marriage of two people of the same sex. As Catholics, they know this. How can they consider themselves even Catholics? They should not have asked him, or even told him. They should not as Catholics continue in their lives together as they have. All this practically torn from the pages of the daily press. Here, early on, is what playwright Davis and director Jerry Less see as the crux of their play. Why may not law abiding, loving Catholics who are homosexuals marry? We anticipate on stage the foredoomed discussion, personalized, of what we read and watch every day in the news. Where, then, is the “Aha! Factor”? Why should we pay attention? Playwright Davis goes for more attention by giving us a budding love affair between Father Raymond and Irene (Kate Middleton), Brian’s sister. Irene is pregnant as a result of an affair with a married man. She plans to give her baby—a good Catholic, no abortion – to Brian and Tom. Does this add to our focus on the issue of gay marriage? No, but it distracts us into considering the issue of whether or not priests might have the right to marry, another Catholic no-no. And where do we go from here in the play? Are we challenging the Catholic Church on a couple of sexual fronts and if so, what does it mean?
Nothing new has been added to the ongoing discussion in our lives, although a glimpse of something more profound has been touched on and shied away from: is goodness established by faith and fiat or can we be good for the sake of goodness itself? Davis and his director have clearly chosen faith and fiat by casting talented actors who look and play conventional gay stereotypes. We are steered from the outset on what appears to be the way to the money path. But the money path, much as it seems to follow trodden ways, recognizes that new paths in familiar territory are quite possibly likely to be even more rewarding, in money and in message. To mix a couple of metaphors, playwright Davis has a tiger by the tail but he blinked.
I liked the entire cast very much, found Jeremiah Wiggins outstanding and Elizabeth Bove a gem. I also enjoyed Joy Franz as the much beset mother of gay Brian and pregnant, unwed Irene. There’s a lot more play here than currently meets the eye. I hope all concerned find it.
45th Street Theater, 354 West 45th Street. Tickets: $18. Smarttix.com or 212 868-4444. Wed-Sat 8 pm. Mats, Sat Sun 2 pm.
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