Playwright: Evan Smith. At: Writers' Theatre, 325 Tudor, Glencoe. Phone: 847-242-6000; $45-$58. Runs through: Nov. 25
'We're Catholic here.'
That's what perplexed Georgian spinster Margaret Downing ( Linda Kimbrough ) keeps on repeating to a young and hyper-perky door-to-door Evangelical missionary who barrels into her home in Evan Smith's The Savannah Disputation, now receiving its world premiere at Writers' Theatre.
That heavily groomed young missionary, named Melissa ( Suzanne Lang ) , is persistent, returning even after Margaret's curmudgeonly sister, Mary ( Marilynn Bogetich ) , slams the door in her face the day before. Mary's faith in Catholicism is seemingly resolute, but Margaret's is temporarily tested in the face of some undisclosed test results she keeps avoiding from her doctor.
The domineering Mary catches her sister meeting with Melissa, taking particular umbrage of all the salvation pamphlets that litter the house. So Mary plans a religious confrontation by inviting the parish priest, Father Patrick Murphy ( Robert Scogin ) , to dinner without telling him what she's planned. Sure enough, a religious war of words erupts and long-held assumptions of faith get tested.
It's this plot setup that allows playwright Evan Smith to tackle contentious religious differences among people who profess to be Christian. It's commendable that Smith succeeds most of the time in making what is ultimately a debate on dogma and belief into a comic drama.
Sure, there are times when the show slips into pure religious-political debate, particularly when the topic of evolution is brought up. But for the most part, Smith makes the characters genuine instead of becoming representational mouthpieces spouting warring ideology.
As the quite contrary Mary, Bogetich gets some of the showiest material, particularly when the trap she sets for Melissa unexpectedly blows up in her face and sparks of her own religious resentments emerge. Bogetich could be a bit more secure in her lines, but she has her bullying and domineering churchgoer character down.
Compared with previous roles, Kimbrough doesn't get nearly as many opportunities to be showy playing the 'nice' sister Margaret. Still, Kimbrough's confused silences and tears reflect Margaret's fears of death and questions of faith.
The Southern belle missionary Melissa screams of stereotype, but Lang keeps the ever-earnest character genuine—particularly when she reveals the personal hurt that no doubt pushed her into a fanatical religion and desire to convert others.
As the unwilling voice of reason, Scogin's makes Father Murphy a cautious voice of experience, full of anger at being dragged into this holy war waged in a suburban home.
Director Michael Halberstam keeps everyone on track and to the point for Smith's script. In The Savannah Disputation, Smith shows that absolutism in faith is a dangerous blade that can cut both ways, particularly when it's used to club others of different faiths without any room for tolerance.