Sure Galileo was smart, but why should we care?

COURTESY YALE REPERTORY THEATER Tim Donoghue and Byron Jennings chat as the planet (background) spins around teh sun.

This Bertolt Brecht quote appears in the program for the Yale Repertory's production of his play Galileo: "If the critics would view my theater as spectators do, without first emphasizing my theories, then what they would see would be simply theater, I hope, of imagination, fun, and intelligence."

Well, this critic is ignorant, so there's no danger of imposing preconceived notions on my opinion of the play. The performance at the Yale Rep, however, was not particularly imaginative, fun, or intelligent. Sorry, Bertolt.

That said, on to the good aspects of the play. It is a historically accurate dramatization of Galileo's fight against the Church in 17th-century Italy. Galileo, a relentless seeker of scientific truth, won't defer to the Scriptures when his observations contradict them. The script is essentially a presentation of Galileo's scientific discoveries and an analysis of their significance. The Rep production boasts a simple, elegant set and solid (largely professional) acting.

Galileo's character is full of energy and ambition. The script by no means idealizes him, at times portraying him as insensitive and manipulative. When he discovers moons around Jupiter, he names them after the reigning family in Florence in hopes that this sycophantic gesture will secure him a better job. In his rationalization, he sounds like any Joe Sellout: "I have to eat. Well." He also has an arrogant streak, and you sometimes wonder if he thinks the earth revolves around him instead of the sun. At the same time, though, he comes across as a genuinely good guy whose shortcomings are excusable in light of his genius. Acclaimed actor Byron Jennings invests Galileo with charisma, though the role demands a feverish intensity he doesn't quite deliver.

Galileo definitely has its moments. The scene in which Galileo recants (if I'm ruining the end for you, you deserve it) is engrossing and dramatic. Galileo's disciples are profoundly disappointed in him, while his daughter is overcome with relief.

This scene is an exception because it is a rare one that involves the emotions of the characters; one of the biggest problems with Galileo is that it is about ideas, not people. We learn nothing about Galileo's personal life except that it is subordinated to his passion for truth. In this way, he is emblematic of the play itself. Sex, violence, and action are supplanted by discussion, debates, and explanations. Unless you're as passionate about the ideas as Galileo (and who the hell is?), it's hard to maintain constant interest.

The second act is much better than the first. It is much briefer, for one thing, and contains scenes we can relate to, including one with a confrontation between Galileo and his stepson, Andrea. Of course, we could relate more if the fight concerned molestation or money, rather than Andrea's disillusionment because his mentor selfishly wouldn't sacrifice his life for the truth. But at least we can feel the anger and the shame that torment both characters.

The questions that form the spine of the play are admittedly compelling. How can science be reconciled with religion? Is the truth more important than happiness? Are ideas worth dying for? But if I want ideas, I'll take a class on Galileo. In fact, it's called History of Science 421a, and that's where I go every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The play could do more to flesh Galileo out as the fascinating historical figure he obviously was. The fiery, irreverent Galileo is appealing, but his character is a tease because we never get beneath the surface. We are privy to his personality, but not his psychology.

A couple of scenes seem to have been lifted from a different play. Galileo is not a musical, but these song-and-dance routines look and sound quite a lot like scenes from a flamboyant musical. Their purpose is to show the common people's reaction to Galileo's theories. Perhaps, back in the day, tuneless words were the monopoly of the educated classes. I can't imagine any other reason for the inclusion of these scenes.

A highlight of the play is the character of Andrea, portrayed wonderfully both as a boy (Kaitlyn Ashley) and as a young man (Jason Butler Harner). His mother is Galileo's lover, so he grows up under the genius's demanding tutelage. Galileo instills in him a love of science that matches his own, even if Andrea's talent doesn't. Ashley and Harner are animated in their performances. Other standouts include Aleta Mitchell as Andrea's no-nonsense mother and Chris Gampel as the intimidating Old Cardinal.

Overall, Galileo is pretty good. The script raises some pretty interesting questions, and the Rep production is a pretty admirable execution of said script. But I can't bring myself to replace those "prettys" with "verys." Ideas are all well and good, but they don't automatically grab the average spectator. The trick is to make us care about sunspots and the heliocentric world system, not just make us learn about them.

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