Agnes of God -- starring Barbara Bain, Emily Bergl, and Harriet Harris (Audio Theatre Series) [Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

L.A. Theatre Works (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2000

A dead newborn is found in a wastebasket at a convent. The mother, a devout young nun, lies unconscious nearby. A psychiatrist must evaluate her. The truth goes beyond what happened on the fateful night of conception.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Agnes of God (1982), a somber, rather slow three-character tragedy, concerns Agnes, 21, a deranged nun accused of murdering her newborn. A court-appointed psychiatrist, an atheist, and the Mother Superior spar ineffectively on theology and miracles and discuss their lives. Twice the doctor puts Agnes under hypnosis, revealing a tortured childhood, denials, and, finally, a confession and improbable motive. As scripted in this new recording of the play, Agnes sings many plainsongs, with which Emily Bergl, a fine actor, is plaintive; Barbara Bain's Mother Superior is rock solid; Harriet Harris, the doctor, tends to be flat instead of neutral in interrogations but is better in monologs. The screenplay for the 1985 film adaptation also by Pielmeier omitted monologs and extraneous dialog and added interesting characters and a happy ending; its video version is better suited to the general public. This audio program is recommended for libraries serving film and drama students rather than for popular consumption. Gordon Blackwell, Eastchester, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

A murdered newborn is found in a convent, the product of a resident nun who denies both the baby and any sexual experience. Part mystery, part theology, part psychology, the play shifts from the mother to the protective mother superior to a lapsed Catholic psychiatrist with troubles of her own. This LA Theatre Works production succeeds on many levels as the three women strive to understand what happened and why, and the resulting impact on their lives. All three principals perform their difficult roles with great skill: They scream, they shout, they interrupt, they whisper and whimper, yet remain totally in command of their audioplay. AGNES OF GOD, a Broadway and film bestseller, is equally good in this one-cassette format. T. H. --AudioFile Magazine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: La Theatre Works; Unabridged edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580811590
• ISBN-13: 978-1580811590
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,367,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a mystery filled with terse, clear dialogue. Great!, November 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Agnes of God (Paperback)

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

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely riveting audio version, June 10, 2002

By 

Michael K. Halloran - See all my reviews

This review is from: Agnes of God (Library Edition Audio CDs) (Audio CD)

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.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down it touched me so much, February 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Agnes of God (Paperback)

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.