Sex and sacrament spinning on the ones and twos

By Kevika Amar

Improvising the role of Joseph in a radio play of the Annunciation, Sunny (Katie Robbins, SY '01) proclaims, "God wouldn't have to do these things if we husbands could get the job done!" This hilarious edge is present throughout Guyler Beguiled's questioning of Christianity, whether through shadow puppet conversations or sports jokes about the Bible.

ANDREW HEID/YH Not like a virgin: Woodrow, ES '00, tells Sendrow, TD '00, that he needs some sweet, sweet butta.

This is not to say this staged reading of Hugh Murtagh's new play doesn't address more serious issues—it varies from the exploration of sexual abuse by priests and its implication on faith to a troubled lesbian relationship. The plot centers around WFAM 1510, a family religious station run solely by Guyler (Thomas Woodrow, ES '00), an overzealous yet endearing 35-year-old virgin grappling with his jealous, domineering conscience and worrying about the purity of his faith. Guyler encounters Sunny, an aspiring actress, who although faithless, wishes to "spice up" WFAM and make the station more entertaining and less reliant on the Bible. Trouble arises when Sunny's girlfriend, Lily (Abigail Sendrow, TD '00), can't deal with Sunny's newfound religious association because of her own traumatic experiences as a young, innocent Catholic schoolgirl.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of this refreshingly short play (with a running time of under two hours) is the talented cast. Besides giving a powerful performance as Guyler, Thomas Woodrow plays several other roles, ranging from the extremes of God to the Devil. He skillfully switches both voices and personalities from the shy, almost charming Guyler to the sleazy "Void Guy," who is interested in little more than sex. In addition, the interaction between Sendrow and Robbins as distraught lovers is captivating and full of realistic tension. Many of Sendrow's best performances, however, are in solo scenes, as when she addresses an imaginary crowd of children and complains of Sunny's betrayal.

One of the most notable strengths of the production is its unusual staging. Advertised as a staged reading, the play consists of few props or changes in costume, with stage directions read aloud instead of acted out and scripts used as props by the characters. Such a setup makes for a unique theater experience and, in some cases, allows for the description of elaborate and unrealistic stage directions. Unfortunately, the use of scripts, although a novel device, weakens the play when the actors appear to depend on them.

Guyler Beguiled, however, manages to use this minimalism successfully. One interesting element is the original music by Shannon Morrison, TC '00, which plays on the radio station and adds very nicely to the thematic development of the play. The script also takes advantage of oral stage directions, adding such humorous touches as describing Woodrow, clad in jeans and a sweater, as a "stereotypical [God], dressed in flowing robes." Guyler Beguiled allows us to laugh aloud while still considering more serious issues, such as how influential that stereotypical God really is.

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