A Letter From The General Review

How refreshing to see a company tackle a drama with a strong storyline and good characterization, rather than a superficial, albeit entertaining, comedy. This play, by Maurice McLoughlin, made strong demands of its cast and packed a powerful punch with its tension and emotion. The set was excellent and conveyed well the spartan quarters of a religious mission, with good use being made of back lighting and additional scenery through the windows and door. I can’t remember whether there was introductory music or link music between scenes; if there was it made no impression on me; if there wasn’t I would recommend it be considered in future. Appropriate music settles the audience at the beginning and can help maintain tension and interest through the scene changes. Costumes were good, especially Ruth Stilton’s dresses which were the most obviously contemporary costumes, the rest being rather timeless habits and uniforms. With respect to characterization there were two standout performances; Sharon Free as Sister Bridget and Julia Cohen as Ruth Stilton. Sister Bridget, portrayed as a novice (in the religious hierarchical sense of the word), with her hair over her eyes and her youthful lack of restraint, developed empathy with her audience straight away. Her Irish accent seemed to me not only flawless but her projection, fluency and timing were also impeccable. She may have been a few psalms short of a New Testament but she was gutsy and irrepressible. Such an authentic Irish accent does set a standard for the others and I wonder whether the director agonized over the issue. For my money Sister Lucy was on par with Bridget, although the character was less interesting. I would have encouraged the others to stick to English. There was only one reference to going home to Ireland in the whole play; besides a Mother Superior would probably have had a better education and there must have been English catholics in Chinese missions! Ruth Stilton played the “bored housewife” to a tee. Her very slightly clipped, yet accent-less English was just right for the time and her position as the wife of a minor diplomat. Her distracted air, self-absorption and inner turmoil slowly dissolved as she was able to displace the entirely negative thoughts surrounding her blind hatred of Germans, following the death of her son in the war, with a more positive and compassionate defence of a priest, despite him being German. The catalyst for this wonderful irony was the aggressive behaviour of an English soldier, who had joined, on pain of death, the Chinese Republican Army and was now responsible for removing the nuns from the mission and closing it down. In many ways Barry Kirk, as Captain Lee, had the most difficult role. He was prone to violent outbursts as well as irrational fears for his own health and well-being, perhaps emanating from his own poor sense of security and his entrapment in a world he didn’t belong to or understand. He coped well with this role and while his lack of stature, compared with Father Schiller, was presumably not deliberate casting, a strong sense of the Napoleon complex came through. The final word must go to Ann Doherty as Sister Magdalen in what was a pivotal but almost cameo role. Her simple but touching faith in her former pupil who was now a Chinese General was shattered in the final scene as she tears up the letter from the General, presumably in response to her own. As an audience we are left to ponder what is in the letter but we must surmise from Sister Magdalen’s emotional breakdown that she has sacrificed her own life for that of Father Schiller. However, her distress is less the concern over her decision than the reason for it – the misplaced faith in a young boy who has eschewed everything Sister Magdalen stands for and chosen a path of violence and destruction. Ann Doherty captured all of these emotions in her quiet and dignified performance.
Stuart Adkins - NODA

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