Clarissa Laurens
In Your Faith
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| "The Good Faith," directed by Harold Dean James. Photo by Linda Obuchoska. |
"The Good Faith," directed by
Harold Dean James
La MaMa E.T.C. (The First Floor Theater), 74A East Fourth
Street
Nobvember 20-December 7, 2003 (closed)
Reviewed by Delphine Veaudor December 1st.
Although inspired by a true story among the Jehovah's Witnesses, Harold Dean James' musical, "The Good Faith," raises the kind of questions any believer in any religion is prone to ask himself concerning the legitimacy of religious institutions and the meaning of his own commitment to them. The topic is ambitious; the production is a simple but efficient staging of a drama of betrayal in the form of a musical tale.
The musical revolves around Brother Raw--inspired by the true Richard Rawe--and his wife Frances, who are evicted through false allegations from a community of Jehovah's Witnesses in which Richard used to be the principal elder.
The parable-like show opens with a scene of proselytism and ends with one of despair. Harold Dean James may not have wanted to denounce any type of religious enlistment, but rather point out the very human dimension lying in all religious communities which are not, by the way, immune to corruption and betrayal. The play is certainly a self-reflection for playwright James, who grew up as a Jehovah's Witness and whose family is still in the faith. As a musical, the topic is simplified and made more accessible. The songs and dances are cheerful whereas the story in itself is quite tragic. The show is sometimes moralizing and over-simple, but no more than religions themselves--if you really think of it. In a way the production has the flavor of its topic, Manichaean but meaningful.
"The Good Faith" is also a good example that you do not need to go to Broadway to attend an interesting musical. Do not expect an appearance of Tony Braxton on stage. Yet "The Good Faith" offers you nice and well performed songs which improve the emotional feeling of the play. Isn't that, essentially, the definition of a musical? Harold Dean James's songs remarkably fit the story, mixing Gospel and Pop styles. A keyboardist and a percussionist perform on stage, accompanying choral singers under the musical direction of Christa Victoria. The dances (choreographed by Guillermo Resto) were a poor second to the music, mostly because most of the actors were far better singers than dancers.
Joe Matheson is excellent in the part of Brother Rawe old and so is Christa Victoria in the part of Sister Sista (the characters' names remind one of "Mister Mister" and "President Prexy" from Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock"--simple, pointed and didactic.) Both of them are very convincing, as opposed to Christiane Victoria (Frances), who seemed vocally unequal to the part.
The props are comprised of a few chairs and a movable door--the latter embodies the entrance or the exit from the community. You could not imagine simpler stage design, and yet it creates the confined atmosphere of a quite closed community. Lighting effects by Tony Mulanix significantly contributed to this atmosphere.
The story is one of good intentions, and so is the production
itself. Whereas in the story good intentions are betrayed, the production
keeps its promises in spite of some defaults. Give Harold Dean James a Broadway
budget and he will undoubtedly do better.[Veaudor]
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