My overall impression
The Hollywood Fringe Festival, an annual celebration of independently produced emerging arts across all genres, is premiering new music, film, theatre and other performance events in multiple conventional and unorthodox venues from June 14 through June 24. More can be found at www.HollywoodFringe.org.
On Sunday, I attended a Fringe Festival production, “Altarcations.” Written by KPCC’s morning news anchor, Steve Julian, it’s a serious take on victims of abuse at the hands of clergy. But as Julian writes in his introductory notes, “It’s not anti-Catholic. It is anti-abuse and anti-cover up,” the key themes treated in his play.
Looking at the seats from the theatre’s center aisle, you might actually think they’re pews, especially as you’re being bathed in low lighting and church organ music.
Father Bart (Robert Keasler) is in quiet crisis. His protégé, naïve and holy Tommy (Drew Hellenthal) is studying to be a priest. Advising Tommy on the art of hearing confession, he says, “Listen with your heart.” But his heart is lusting for Tommy.
Bishop Michael (Travis Michael Holder), who left the city long ago, is back in town to root out abuse by clergy under his jurisdiction. “Some in this calling have fallen and taken innocents along with them,” he says in a sermon. He’s in charge of the investigation.
Tommy, while attending seminary, is living with Rachel (Dylan Jones) who had a life-altering, guilt-inducing relationship with Bishop Michael when he was still in seminary and living next door to her. Now that he’s back, Bishop Michael has been calling Rachel non-stop, for reasons she cannot fathom. Alarmed by these calls, she goes to church to confess her hatred for someone who abused her 20 years ago, and Father Bart hears her confession, not knowing who she’s talking about.
Over drinks, the Bishop’s frank sexual talk, admitting his own lusts for women and getting Father Bart to open up about his longing for boys, is emblematic of the wink-wink, nudge-nudge attitude that Julian is writing about here (“You haven’t embezzled, have you? Because that’s a real problem,” he says). “Live with your lust,” says Bishop Michael, “or seek forgiveness if you can’t stop yourself. Absolution brings us to understand, not change, who we are.”
The complex and tangled web of these four lives plays out in dramatically well-constructed short scenes that build to a surprising twist and conclusion.
“Altarcations” is a serious, admirably written one-act play with a good story arc.
The performances, while heartfelt, felt a bit halting on the day I saw it, with some Pinter-esque “pregnant pauses” that may not have been intentional.
However, it’s worth your time; only four performances remain, Fridays at 5 p.m., Sundays at 4 p.m. at Actors Circle Theatre, through June 24. For more information, visit www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/920.