Who would have thought that a play written nearly a century ago, about a martyr born six centuries ago would be so topical today. George Bernard Shaw’s 1924 play, Saint Joan, has many parallels to today’s geo-political/religious landscape.
The protagonists leads troops into battle in the name of her god, her followers went blindly after her, the enemy deem her a fanatic, some religious leaders were on her side while others worried she would damage their power, the political leaders worried she was disruptive to the people. Tolerance, prejudice, faith and justice are all themes presented during the Kim Collier directed play now showing at The Arts Club Theatre, Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage.
Lead by Meg Roe as Joan, the large cast (many playing multiple parts) takes the audience on a journey through Joan’s life from leading her first battle charge to her demise while refusing to waiver from her beliefs. Most of the actors’ performances were solid but I did find the overall performance to be a bit uneven, some wandering accents, and it felt like some actors were playing for laughs while their scene partner was playing straight-drama.
Saint Joan runs at The Arts Club Theatre’s Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage until November 23rd. Tickets start at just $29.
The play runs 3+ hours, with two intermissions.