A.R. Gurney’s Heresy, at the Flea Theater, gives us community-theater acting in an amateurishly written attempt at a contemporary depiction of Jesus’ parents. Director Jim Simpson has these poor people shouting and indicating rather than being actual people. Mary says, “It’s like a high-school reunion,” and she’s right.
The formerly bright, insightful Gurney seems to have lost it in this silly, annoying play -- a lame attempt at humor. Despite the rare joke that works, for not a moment is an actual human being on the stage — it’s all representations of people.
The St. Peter character talks about abortion in today’s world, and there are political speeches against each of today’s religions. There is a silly Mary Magdalene, who moves herself to tears, and a pompous Pontius. Gurney seems to be off the rails as he rails on about consumerism today. There is no action. Nothing happens as they drone on complaining about today’s world. Heresy is not a play; it deteriorates into a simplistic rant that goes from tedious to numbing.
The only entertaining moment in the show is a lovely rendition of the hymn “Abide With Me,” which is nicely harmonized.
