WORDS Maud Sampson
Sex, politics and religion usually make for an explosive mix. The New Theatre’s adaptation of James Joyce’s semi-autobiographical A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man makes no exception. Director Jimmy Fay captures the inherent contradictions that made up life for a Catholic living in early-twentieth century Dublin, as the play follows the sexual, intellectual and philosophical awakening of sixteen year old Stephen Dedalus, James’ alter-ego. Unable to reconcile his desire for autonomy with the church’s teachings, inextricable from politics of the time, the play culminates with Stephen’s rejection of his homeland and departure for Paris.
The production is compelling, if not a little unsettling at times, through its terrifying confrontation of religion and its incompatibility with sexual desire. The sexually charged undertone informing fervent religious belief is effectively portrayed throughout by the imitation of orgasmic climax when discussing religion. Lauren Farrell mesmerises in her portrayal of Stephen at the height of his sexual crisis through fluid body movements combining physical agility with gentle vulnerability. The result is a nuanced performance blurring the line between Stephen’s boyish loyalty to the church and his burgeoning adult sexual desire. The most powerful scenes in the play explore this conflict, making brilliant use of the visual duality afforded by the stage; whilst a teacher invokes him to enter the priesthood Stephen is groped by bodiless hands under the watch of a prostitute; in the confession scene O’Kelly terrifies as a dominatrix demon whipping Stephen into revelations of sins of impurity in a highly charged, sadomasochistic sequence.
By Joycean standards A Portrait’s narrative structure is simple, but it is notable that Fay felt compelled to create a grand narrator role in Cranly. Marcus Lamb fortunately resists slipping into being a moralising bore, instead injecting a coherent and linear structure to the play. The simplicity of the stage and costume (there are no set changes and only modest dress) is effective in showing the inescapable power of the church over the everyday person and place in Ireland.
Fay’s enthralling production does not disappoint. Despite an increasingly godless modern Ireland, brilliant acting captures the prevailing disposition of many an Irishman conditioned by the still-present saturation of religion in society. This is no better exemplified than during Father Arnall’s electrifying sermon on Hell, with Charlie Hughes, Katie O’Kelly and O’Donnell as the voice of the church simultaneously preaching about the physical and psychological atrocities awaiting sinners in this world. With the set shrouded in darkness, apart from intense spotlights on the speakers, even the most stoic non-believer in the audience cannot fail to share Stephen’s terror as they attempt to instil the fear of God in him. As one man nervously joked during the interval, “We’ll all be off to confession after this.”
The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, until 7 March 2014
