One of them, presumably John the Evangelist, is writing about her and her son. Mary launches into her 70-minute monologue by telling us about the two unnamed men who guard her. It is primarily an intellectual one that leaves the emotions strangely unmoved, despite his imaginative efforts to plumb Mary’s psyche. What is unsatisfying about The Testament of Mary has nothing to do with the production, but everything to do with Tóibín’s flawed vision. She is not the quasi-divine figure of Christian art and piety, but an all-too-human woman who hurts, grieves, rages, and loves. Yet, this very external tranquility provides a stark contrast to the inner turmoil so artfully portrayed by Linda Reiter as Mary. Christopher Ash’s set and projection design, Sarah Jo White’s costumes, Michael Rourke’s lights, and Andre Pluess’s sound all contribute to the play’s meditative ambience. His adaptation for the stage debuted on Broadway in April 2013, followed by productions in London and Barcelona.įor Victory Gardens’ Midwest premiere, the daring direction of Dennis Začek beautifully brings Tóibín’s vision to life. Tóibín originally published his story as a novella in 2012. This simple, but highly effective entrée into Colm Tóibín’s The Testament of Mary immediately warns the audience that what they are about to see is not the usual story as it has been presented by the Christian churches for centuries. She slowly gets up and dries off, donning a linen shift and a crimson robe. The lighting is low and there are dozens of candles spread about the set.
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