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Agnes of God

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A nun, a psychiatrist, a novice, a dead baby in a trashcan, and Catholic Guilt. What else do you need?

John Pielmeier's play "Agnes of God" opened on Broadway in 1982 with a cast that included Elizabeth Ashley, Geraldine Page, and Amanda Plummer. It tells the tale of a young novice who has been sheltered from the world all her life. One night, she is found unconscious in her convent room after having given birth to a baby, which is found dead in a wastebasket. This shocking incident gives rise to a whole set of questions: Who was the father? Why did no one know about Agnes' pregnancy? Is she really as simple and naive as she seems? And, most importantly, who killed the baby?

The play features three terrific roles for actresses: Agnes, the Mother Superior, and the court-appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Livingstone. The script is not without its flaws: the science vs. faith conceit is played out a little too simply, and some of the symbolism is heavy-handed to say the least (the doctor trades her obsessive chain-smoking for an obsessive fixation on Agnes). The play was also made into a rather tepid movie which unwisely opened up the claustrophobic office/convent interview scenario and added superfluous characters and subplots. Meg Tilly and Anne Bancroft both earned much-deserved Oscar nominations for their excellent performances, but Jane Fonda is miscast and less than obsessive in the role of Dr. Livingstone.

This audio recording, however, makes one forget any flaws in the script and completely erases any sour memory of the misjudged film version. It is gripping in every way. Harriet Harris carries the show in a bravura performance as Dr. Livingstone ("X-files" fans will remember her from the terrific "Eve" episode). She is not afraid to be curt and unlikable, and she carries a chip on her shoulder the size of a Buick. Every shifting emotion is immediately audible in her highly expressive voice: wry condescenion, bitter regret, volcanic rage, and aching sorrow all come into play. Her final, gut-wrenching monologue is absolutely harrowing. With a performance like Harris', visuals become unnecessary.

Harris' force-of-nature portrayal could easily overwhelm less accomplished co-stars, but Barbara Bain and Emily Bergl more than hold their own. Bain is sympathetic and likable as the Mother Superior, a welcome contrast to Harris' caustic doctor. She matches Harris step for step in their emotional confrontations and gives equal weight to the Mother's deep sense of spirituality and the earthier, more secular side of the character. This is no caricature, but a flesh-and-blood human being.

Emily Bergl (who was the one bright spot in the otherwise limp "The Rage: Carrie 2") makes a perfect Agnes: childlike, eager to please, and slightly otherworldly. She gives her ludicrous answers to the doctor's questions in such a matter-of-fact manner that one simply can't write her off as insane. Because of her utter conviction in everything she says, we as listeners must at least consider the fact that the visions and voices she sees and hears might be real. Bergl also fully commits to her emotional moments with the doctor. Harris is often so brutal with the psychologically fragile Bergl that one almost wishes Child Protective Services would come in and whisk Agnes away. Bergl's singing voice -- an important aspect of Agnes' character -- is childlike and unspoilt, adding to the sense of Agnes' purity.

Sound effects are used sparingly but judiciously, such as the flick of a lighter letting the audience know that the doctor has lighted a cigarette. Credit must be given to director Nancy Malone, who has shaped the rhythm and pace of the piece with the expert skill of an orchestral conductor. Under her guidance, the three actresses sound like a finely-tuned ensemble, with Bain's earthy alto, Harris' reedy mezzo, and Bergl's soft-grained soprano playing together as exquisitely as virtuoso instruments. Audio theatre doesn't come any better than this.

I read Agnes of God because I was doing a monologue from it for a drama exam and the night that I read the play I couldn't put it down. It's not a long read, but it really touched me. From the first page I was interested in each development of the plot and the characters. The imagery was haunting and even though it deals with many risque subjects, it's an essential read. Agnes of God is probably a play that has affected and moved me and one I'll never forget. Unfortunately I haven't seen a performance of it, but this I believe is truely one of the better plays out there.

Good art should make a person think. "Agnes of God" leaves its readers, audience members and performers with questions that only they can answer for themselves. It leaves room for individual interpretation without feeling incomplete. This is a truly important piece of dramatic literature, not to be missed.

Nothing in this world can prepare us for the spiritual aspect of this haunting murder mystery as described on this audio cassette version. As much as science and reason can explain things seemingly unscientific, does there ever come a time when science alone cannot? In this tender drama of a twenty-one year old nun, one cannot help but question the mysteries of faith - in all its forms. Agnes, the twenty-one year old nun, has never known life as we have. Sheltered and secluded in her upbringing, abused and tragically disturbed, Agnes turns to the Catholic Convent when her mother dies. Surely there, Mother Miriam can produce or at least invoke a kin to humanity in this child, and perhaps even be somewhat of a mother to her in many ways. Perhaps Mother Miriam can bring her a sense of a real world, a sense of mankind with all of its beauties and all of its flaws. Truth is not told lightly here, and when Agnes delivers a child, beliefs must be questioned, questions must be answered, faiths must be acknowledged - or abandoned. Beautifully portrayed on one audio cassette, you will hear Agnes' song long after the cassette is over.

John Pielmeier's Agnes Of God is a contemporary murder mystery set within the confines of a modern Catholic convent. Agnes is a devout, innocent young nun accused of infanticide. As a psychiatrist (herself a lapsed Catholic) and the Mother Superior struggle over Agnes' fate, the play plunges deeply into the mystery of faith and the consequence of truth. This superb audio play production features Barbara Bain as the Mother Superior, Emily Bergl as Agnes, and Harriet Harris as Dr. Martha Livingstone. Under the accomplished direction of Nancy Malone, Pielmeier's compelling tale is wonderfully underscored with the choral music of Kathryn Skatula, Ali Olmo and Teri Bibb. The recording techniques are flawless and present a true "theatre of the mind" experience that is both memorable and commanding.

If you are looking for a truly captivating play, you must read this one. It isn't very often that readers feel emotionally attached to all of the characters in a show. All three of the characters in this one have wonderful monologues and together share amazing scenes that really make you think long after you put the script down. It has the potential to make believers out of an audience.

Meg Tilly: wonderful. Jane Fonda; cold and flat. Anne Bancroft: excellent. The changes in the screenplay from the script are odd choices. Keeping Dr. Livingstone's mother alive is awkwardly done. The ending is different. Most of all, Jane Fonda as the doctor is flat-toned and lacking depth. The fact that there are her iconic barbells on the mantel of her woodsy home said, "we cast Jane because she's hot at the moment, at the height of her career, even if it's a success in workout videos instead of acting." I would love to have seen someone with more range in her role.

Those who have seen the movie Agnes of God be warned - it can not compare to the actual play. Reading the play is just as fulfilling as seeing it performed. Three characters - a shrink, a mother superior, and an innocent nun. Throughout the play, roles are examined, discarded, built upon and interchanged between the three characters. The author gives the characters real depth. Readers can see themselves in any of the three roles without any trouble.