- #Estelle parsons directs trial of judas iscariot trial
- #Estelle parsons directs trial of judas iscariot free
Namely that we all have both good and bad in us and people are complicated. To be sure, there's some amusement to be had in seeing Mother Teresa and Sigmund Freud (both played with a sense of fun by Arthur Waldstein) brought out for this purpose, but it also seems like they're all being used to hammer home the same point. We watch one character after another brought to the witness stand to be interrogated by the lawyers (occasionally this gets interrupted by monologues from the apostles).
#Estelle parsons directs trial of judas iscariot trial
I think part of the problem is the repetitive structure of the trial itself. We're spinning our wheels in the thematic mud in a way that makes you want to stand up and ask, "Okay, but where are we going with this?" But as the first act begins to wrap up that feeling creeps in that while you've watched a lot of stuff happen, it's not building towards anything. For a while, the play is able to coast on that charm, drawing plenty of laughs from the audience. Hub Theatre manages to assemble a team of actors that's equally charming who win you over as soon as they step onstage. They're approachable and charming as hell. Guirgis writes them as the people you might meet on the street. The play is overflowing with known figures, but they're not glacial icons. Relief came quickly enough in the next scene when we meet more of our cast of characters and Guirgis' sense of humor has a chance to rush in. Liz Adams, who plays the role, sells the monologue well, but it seemed to signify that we were in for an evening of heavy-handed seriousness. I got a little nervous when the play began with a monologue from Judas' mother. Through a barrage of witnesses that include key figures from Judas' family, twentieth century history and the Bible we learn about the story around the man called Judas Iscariot and his precarious place in history as the battle for his soul is waged. He has a chance for forgiveness and will make it to heaven if his lawyer Fabiana Aziza Cunningham (Lauren Elias) can convince a jury of fellow purgatory residents that he's worthy of mercy. He's seems uninterested in changing his fate in any way, but a few religious figures have taken pity on him and arranged to have his case retried in the courtroom of the afterlife. Currently, Judas is sitting in a catatonic state somewhere in purgatory. The play by Stephen Adly Guirgis has a great hook: Judas Iscariot, (the one of New Testament fame), is put on trial for his betrayal of Jesus Christ. By that point in the evening, too much good faith has been spent.įor years I had heard the title "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" mentioned as a favorite from fellow theater friends but never got around to reading it myself. Taken as an image, that final moment is just as beautiful, but it's not going to hit us with the same emotional impact. In the final moments of the show, the production will once again reach for a moment of awe created by roving lights shining out through the darkness. For a moment you're stunned into silence, overwhelmed by the sight (the lighting design is by Chris Bocchiaro with Amanda Hackney as the assistant designer and they earn every cent of that paycheck). Behind them a flood of colored light begins to roll its way up the church's back wall, stretching high into the heavens, higher than you even thought the room went. A collection of actors has gathered on the stage/alter, staring out into the audience. There's one genuine moment of religious awe in the production that happens during the opening moment. An eerie sidelight glow allows you to take your seat, but much of the cavernous room is kept in shadow and darkness. You can feel the oppression building around you while entering.
#Estelle parsons directs trial of judas iscariot free
It makes sense for them to pull out the stops for a show that tries to untangle the sticky thematic knots guilt, morality, shame, free will and judgment. But Hub Theatre changes things up from their normal practices, utilizing one of the larger venues at First Church rather than the smaller side theater. Much of the power that Hub Theatre's production of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" comes from the building it's using as a temporary performance space.