Doubt

"Doubt" originally played at the Manhattan Theatre Club before transferring to the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2005. The play won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as the Tony Award for Best Play. In 2008, "Doubt was made into a movie that starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. The original play would star Brian F. O'Byrne and Cherry Jones.This parable takes place in 1964, in the Bronx at a Catholic grade school where most of the students are Italian and Irish. Writer John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck) brings forth what Catholic School was like back in the 60's... the regiment, the rules and its codes.
 In this version of the play we get a great eye catching set by David Rockwell. This turnstile set keeps the audience engaged for the intermission-less 90 minutes, as do the actors. Between sister Aloysius (Amy Ryan) office, the courtyard and various other settings, Rockwell has designed a beauty; Tony Award for best set beauty.

 Brilliantly directed by Scott Ellis both Amy Ryan and Zoe Kazan as Sister James steal the show. As the elder states-lady in Sister Aloysius and the naive, innocent Sister James the two work and blend so well together that it  brings the audience back to the days when Kennedy was just assassinated and the Bronx was still a vibrant place to live. Linda Cho's costumes too bring the reality to the times Even though much of the costumes are traditional Catholic dress, Cho captures it well.
 The plot line is a serious one, accusations by the principal has cast an accusing light on Father Flynn (Liev Schreiber), the priest and gym teacher at St. Nicholas School. With little to go by, Sister Aloysius through Sister James has called Father Flynn on the carpet about a young colored boy,  Donald Muller, the only non white at the school. She believes that Father Flynn has sexually assaulted the boy. Aloysius believes that Flynn has targeted him because he is a loner, weak and vulnerable. The audience has to make up its mind as to whether Flynn is compassionate or a predator; whether the principal is to rigid and cold hearted.The two consistently butt heads, Flynn is progressive and Aloysius is by-the- book in rules and decorum; she has no problems telling people exactly what's on her mind. The interaction between Ryan and Schreiber too is good, however, Schreiber's acting goes in and out throughout the play. Strong at times and weak at times, his performance wavers. What also wavers is the lighting (Kenneth Posner), has to many halos around the actors faces. I am not sure if it was the lighting or the makeup. Zoe Kazan for most of the show looked like she had a red nose from a cold, but that was not the case, it was the lights that distorted her face, which may be due to makeup blending with the lighting.

 "Doubt" at the newly renamed Todd Haimes Theatre is a strong and resonate play that will no doubt be up for Best Revival come Tony Time!