In the Christian faith, parables are stories that Jesus told to teach about His kingdom and how His followers should behave and act. These stories were meant to reach people from all backgrounds, and these stories encouraged more questions and engagement since there was always an ambiguity to what was being shared.
John Patrick Shanley’s parable is no exception. Doubt: A Parable is simple, yet there’s so much that the story conveys about truth, certainty, doubt, justice, authority, morality, and decency. There’s no one right interpretation, but that’s the beauty of this play and the accomplishment of this production, directed by Jennifer Decker. Decker lets the tension and ambiguity build without ever releasing the valve.
The Garden Theatre’s production of this Pulitzer-Prize winning play is a tight 90 minutes filled with remarkable acting performances and a story that leaves the audience morally unsettled.
Sister Aloysius (Nora Hahn) believes Father Flynn (Patrick Fretwell) is sexually abusing Donald Muller. She has no evidence. No witnesses. Sister James (Emily Buesing) tells her that Donald Muller had alcohol on his breath after spending time with Father Flynn. However, there are so many reasons for what could have happened that is not sexual abuse. All Sister Aloysius has is circumstantial evidence.
Is that enough? Should that be enough? Is it right and just to take down a man’s reputation on sheer conviction alone? Can justice only be achieved when we are 100 percent sure about the results?
As the characters embark on their own quest for truth and struggle with the doubt, so too does the audience, which is just as much a part of this play as the characters. The audience’s certainty wavers as the ambiguity of the situation grows.
Who agrees with Sister Aloysius? Is she going too far? Does she care about the boy or does she just want to be right? Does it matter? Is it enough to be right or are there other criteria that should inform our actions like listening to a parent’s wishes or obeying a superior’s commands? Is the right act and a just act the same thing?
Underneath all these questions is the fact that these characters are Roman Catholic. From the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and stained glass windows to the nun habits and crucifix necklaces, this is a Catholic world, and all these characters are firmly entrenched in the hierarchy of the institution. There’s a chain of command that must be followed. There’s a code of behavior that must be observed.
Sinning is an offense against God and nobody is more an expert on sin than those who wear the collar or don the habit. The Ten Commandments are a source of moral law, and the Catholic Church has expanded in its understanding of the eighth commandment, “you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
The Church believes that people have the right to their reputation and the natural right to the honor of his name. Someone’s reputation should be valued and protected just as their body and belongings should.
There are sins known as rash judgment and calumny. Rash judgment is the formation of an opinion about someone’s actions or character without sufficient information. Then there is the sin of calumny, “who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.”
Sister Aloysius and Sister James aren’t simply dealing with matters of truth and facts. They, also, have to deal with balancing their own desires to unravel the truth and not sinning, for any accusation of child sexual abuse is a clear mark on someone’s reputation. Their quest for the truth affects their relationship with God and their relationship with the Church. In Sister Aloysius’ final outburst, it becomes clear that this journey toward truth and justice has been a true test of faith for her.
Early on, Father Flynn says that “doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty,” but the events of this play convey otherwise. Rather than connect people, doubt introduces mistrust, spurs crises of conscience, and prompts unholy behavior.
Watching these actors navigate the complexities and shadows of this world is a treat to witness.
Nora Hahn is steely and uncompromising. She criticizes Sister James’ teaching like she’s going over her to-do list. Her presence alone is enough to strike fear in anyone who speaks to her. Unmoved by sentimentality, she is so certain in what she believes that she is not swayed by any evidence that goes against it. How can she be so sure? Does she have proof she hasn’t disclosed yet? Or does her bias against the more liberal priest make her more prone to believe he abuses children.
Fretwell captivates as the possibly criminal clergyman. He charms when he’s speaking to the students or giving a homily. He is the perfect balance of affability and hospitality. Even when he’s frustrated by the crows or irritated by Sister Aloysius’ accusations, there is something real about how Fretwell responds to attacks against his character but also a real desperation when his job as priest is threatened.
Whether the desperation is a reflection of his guilt or a sincere expression of what it looks like to lose a job you love, Fretwell’s portrayal of Flynn leaves the audience wondering whether or not he is an abuser. His performance never feels stuck on either the jovial, friendly priest or the manipulative and defensive priest. It feels real and human when it could easily have turned one-dimensional.
Emily Buesing stands out as the conflicted young nun who has been transformed by Sister Aloysius’ doubt. Watching Buesing change from the bubbly and zealous teacher who enjoys watching over her children to a guarded and disillusioned instructor who no longer has that same passion for her job is disheartening. If the themes of this play are so visibly expressed on anyone it is through Buesing’s performance. Her confusion, her frustration, her uncertainty about the meaning of events highlights the heaviness of what doubt can bring into someone’s life. Doubt crushes Buesing’s optimism.
Her sense of peace and joy has been diminished as a result of asking questions that she never wanted to ask. No longer influenced by Sister Aloysius’ opinions, she comes to her own conclusion on whether Father Flynn abused Donald Muller. Still, while some of the peace and joy that she had has returned, her personality bears a duller shine than how she started. Even though she ends up believing the exact same thing she did at the beginning, she is a noticeably different person at the end.
Though only on stage for about eight minutes, Ambi Anuh-Ndumu stuns as the mother of the possibly abused child. Her earnest desire that her son simply needs to graduate in June mixed with her unemotional response to what could possibly be happening to her son is simply heart wrenching.
On one hand, there is no evidence for Sister Aloysius’ accusation, yet on the other hand, shouldn’t the accusation be enough for a mother? Her pragmatic composure reflects the learned disposition of a black woman surviving in 1960s New England yet her restrained delivery reveals the desperation she holds in needing her son to stay at the school.
There are endless questions this production encourages. There is an endless amount of great acting choices in this production. Doubt: A Parable is a modern classic, and this production is a testament as to why this show is timeless.
Performances continue through March 30 at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Garden Theatre at MATCH, 3400 Main. For more information, call 713-521-4533 or visit https://www.thegardentheatre.org. $25-$30. PWYC on Monday and Thursday
