Lanford Wilson's best play in ages makes you feel like he's picked up a rock in Our Town and looked for what crawleth underneath. Dublin, Missouri seems like an idyllic American town, with good Christian folk going about their business, which includes tolerating the local theatrical production of Saint Joan and rooting for the son of the town's most successful businessman, a cheese maker, to make something of himself. The only problem is, the son has political motivations and evil methods, and the townfolk would rather maintain the illusion of purity than get its hands dirty with truths and life-ruining sins. Though it has a smidgen too much talking to the audience and occasionally allows Wilson's didactic voice to overshadow those of his characters, Book of Days moves grippingly, with much humor to offset the growing menace. Strongly recommended.
