ShowBizRadio

Listen to our review of Montgomery Playhouse’s production of Agnes of God [MP3 4:29 2.1MB].

Laura: This is the ShowBizRadio Review of Agnes of God, performed by Montgomery Playhouse at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn in Gaithersburg, Maryland. We saw the performance on Sunday afternoon May 18, 2008.

Mike: Agnes of God is a play by John Pielmeier. It’s the story of Sister Agnes who was discovered in a bedroom at her convent with a dead baby in a waste basket. She can’t remember how it got there. She can’t remember if she had the baby or who had the baby. She is taken to a psychiatrist, Dr. Livingstone, and is questioned about the occurrence to see if she is sane or not and competent to stand trial. Mother Miriam Ruth comes along to the sessions to make sure Agnes is kept safe because she is so innocent.

Laura: I thought this was a very deep show. It was very intense. It was very well acted and I enjoyed it.

Mike: I also thought this was a very good show. It was deep. The characterizations of the actors was pretty much spot on and I think they did a great job. It was a deep show. While you might not come out with a real warm fuzzy feeling, but it will make you think.

Laura: Dr. Martha Livingstone was played by Leta Hall. I thought she did very well in this roll. She began by wanting to get the case over and done with. I think she thought that Agnes was a nut. But as she got to know her she began to understand. It also stirred up some emotions from her past as well. I really enjoyed how she brought that character to life.

Mike: It was interesting watching her fighting herself and the memories that she had of her own past. I liked the relationship that grew between her and Mother Miriam Ruth (played by Judy Mayer). By the end of the show they had maybe not a camaraderie, but a respect for each other.

Laura: I thought Mother Miriam Ruth was very protective of Sister Agnes, and kept things from her in order to keep her safe. I liked the sparring scenes that went on between her and Dr. Livingstone. They were both trying to protect Agnes in their own way.

Mike: Sister Agnes was played by Katherine Caruso. She came across as almost a child she was so innocent. Yet she had things in her past that she revealed slowly. It was harsh on the audience. We did not want bad things to happen to her because we like her so much. I think her innocence and soft voice and then later when she got a little more excited during some of the sessions, it worked well because we sympathized with her and you wanted everything to be OK. It was a pretty emotional play and I think all three actresses did a good job in keeping the emotions in check and keeping them appropriate for the scenes.

Laura: The set for Agnes of God was simple. It took place in two parts. You had the back of the stage which was kind of a waiting area. Then the front of the set had a desk for Dr. Livingstone and a sofa for Dr. Livingstone, Dr. Miriam Ruth, and sister Agnes to have their sessions together. It was kind of old, but I think that was part of the theme of the show. I did like the stained glass windows that they hung from the back of the set gave it a church feel. The Set Designer was David Jones.

Mike: I liked that most of the colors in the show were black, white and gray. Then at times the stained glass windows would be lit up from behind and it would introduce color in the show. It was very subtle at times and very soft. A few times it was brighter and it fit the lighting of the show each time it would change.

Laura: The show did have a lot of smoke. There were signs as you went up the stairs that there would be smoking in this show and there was an abundance.

Mike: Agnes of God ran one hour and forty five minutes with one intermission. It is playing through June 1 at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 and Sundays at 2.

Laura: We’d like to invite you to join our free mailing list to stay informed with theater in the DC area.

Mike: And now, on with the show.

Cast

• Dr. Martha Livingstone: Leta Hall
• Mother Miriam Ruth: Judy Mayer
• Sister Agnes: Katherine Caruso

Crew

• Producer: Melinda Fisher
• Director: Karen Fleming
• Assistant Director: John Bartkowiak
• Stage Manager: Frank DeSando
• Set Design: David Jones
• Lighting Design: Joy Wyne
• Sound Design: Nick Sampson
• Master Carpenter: David Jones
• Lighting Execution: Frank DeSando
• Lighting Design Assistant: Nancy Davis
• Sound Execution: Ceil Rogers
• Properties: Susan Bahr, Melinda Fisher, William T. Fleming
• Music Consultant: Katie Evans
• Music Arrangement: Joshua Sommerville
• Photography: Kay Coupe
• Logo Art: John Shine
• Load-In Crew: Nancy Davis, Frank DeSando, Melinda Fisher, William T. Fleming, David Jones, Joy Wyne