I don't know why I wasn't expecting Young Jean Lee's Church to be quite so, well, Church-y, but in Lee's hands I became a quick convert. Church's polished costumes, minimal set and smart writing left me laughing until I sensed the gravity of what I was laughing about. My own sorry state of affairs. My own unresolved and godless but spiritual-in-my-own-way existence. Religion in America today is no easy topic and Church may be the sincerest satirical work I have ever witnessed. The humor in the work comes from a collection of universal truths about contemporary life that Church willingly exploits with the evangelical aim of conversion. What is unclear is what we will become converts to.
Taking cues from televangelism and the format of a typical Sunday sermon complete with lectern, pews and a choir, Church takes the audience on a journey from darkness to light and in the ultimate peripeteia Jesus Christ becomes a being of light, love and liberalism. Contemporary life in general, and the ego-centeric self in particular, is the source of our sin, and we are all declared guilty from the beginning. Church's climax is the joyous noise of a gospel choir (whose director steals the show). The ending of the work, and its ultimate meaning is left ambiguous. There were no dramatic conclusions. This approach is at once startling and refreshing as it becomes clear that Lee is aware there are no simple answers and perhaps just raising the question and creating a dialogue is what is most important.
Church
The Public Theater 425 Lafayette Street
January 9 - 19, visit www.undertheradarfestival.com for times
$15 tickets: publictheater.org or 212.967.7555
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment