Agnes of God: Pitting Faith Against Science

by John Pielmeier
Kanata Theatre

Based on a 1977 case in New York State, Agnes of God by John Pielmeier, first performed in 1980, tells the story of a young novice accused of strangling her baby. The movie version, released in 1985, starred Jane Fonda, Anne Bancroft and Meg Tilly.

In the actual trial, the nun, who, according to the evidence, had apparently been raped by a priest, was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

In Agnes of God, the situation becomes the starting point for pitting faith against science in the form of a battle of words between the Mother Superior at Agnes’ convent and the court-appointed psychiatrist, both of whom carry heavy psychological baggage.

Meanwhile, Agnes, a victim of abuse as a child, appears all innocence and unworldliness. She takes refuge in singing and shutting out all memory of pregnancy and the birth and death of her child.

In the Kanata Theatre production, directed and designed by Tom Kobolak, Emily Walsh, in the title role, delivers a very credible picture of wide-eyed innocence coupled with barely surviving the damage that she endured as a child.

As psychiatrist Martha Livingstone, Cheryl Zimmer has a more difficult time making her character entirely believable. This is, in part, because of the awkwardness of Martha’s back story and her reasons for hostility to Roman Catholicism. In addition, the aggressive tone she adopts in some of her dealings with Agnes does not square with generally accepted medical practice.

As Mother Miriam Ruth, Larraine Gorman also has periodic difficulty in creating an entirely believable characterization. It is reasonable that her opening remark to the doctor (“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”) should amuse her. It is less reasonable for her to maintain her amused expression through other more serious sequences. In addition, the tug-of-war for Agnes loses some of its impact in poorly articulated shouting matches.

A number of Kobolak’s design features, particularly the stained-glass effects and the Lamb of God image are very effective, as is Walsh’s singing voice.

Nevertheless, the depressing nature of the subject matter and the wordiness of the script make Agnes of God heavy going. (And the content is familiar to many from other sources, most recently the last presentation in Ottawa by 9th Hour Theatre last November.)

Agnes of God continues at Kanata Theatre to November 16, 2013.

Director and set designer: Tom Kobolak
Lighting: Zach Andruchow
Sound: Brooke Keneford
Costumes: Diane Smith

Cast:
Dr. Martha Livingstone………………………….Cheryl Zimmer
Mother Miriam Ruth……………………………..Larraine Gorman
Agnes…………………………………………………..Emily Walsh