Review: FORGIVENESS at Barrington Stage Company

Barrington Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Alan Paul presents FORGIVENESS, a world premiere play written by BSC Associate Artist Mark St. Germain and directed by Ron Lagomarsino.

Inspired by a newspaper article, FORGIVENESS is set in Minnesota where prisoners are allowed to plead their case, in a bid to be returned to society with no further impact on their civil rights nor permanent record. In this interactive production, audiences weigh-in and help determine who is worthy of forgiveness.

The cast of FORGIVENESS features Joey Collins, Darlene Hope, Rodney Hicks and Peggy Pharr Wilson.  Each portrays at least three separate and distinct roles across the 65-minute (without intermission) presentation; representing one of the individuals seeking a pardon, a member of the Board of Pardons, and / or someone with an interest in the proceedings. 

The strong and well-balanced ensemble members each has ample opportunity to show both depth and breadth across St. Germain’s well written piece, his seventeenth production by BSC.  Given the overall run-time is relatively brief, the timing is notably effective.  In a rather skillful and precise manner, each character’s thoughts, and feelings are clearly displayed to, and felt by the audience during the brief 10- to 15-minutes that we spend with them but have the potential to significantly impact a mother’s, a daughter’s, a co-worker's, a cab driver's, and a virtuoso’s  day-to-day existence and reality.  No pressure, right? 

The handsome, effective, and efficient scenic design is by Brian Prather, costume design with subtle but also effective nuances by Dina El-Aziz, lighting design by Reza Behjat and sound design by Brendan Aanes. Production Stage Manager is Leslie Sears. Casting for BSC is by McCorkle Casting Ltd.

While at first one might ponder why only four cases are examined, I assure you the mix and synergy of an excellent script, skillful direction, and an accomplished cast and creatives achieve an overall strong production that pulls audience members in and quite probably leave you asking What Would You Do?  Then again, some may choose to participate in this interactive piece of experiential theatre as a revealing and far more immersive experience to the likes of television’s BULL or one of so many other legal/ courtroom type offerings.  That said, this is FORGIVENESS’s world premiere.   St. Germain’s latest work allows for a multitude of revisions over time to ensure the piece can remain topical and relevant. 

FORGIVENESS continues through August 25 on the St. Germain Stage at Barrington Stage Company’s Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center 36 Linden Street in Downton Pittsfield.

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