Into Thy Hands

Synopsis

In 1611 John Donne was at the restless centre of a changing world, in which a new Bible, a new science, and a decadent court tore at loyalties old and new. Juggling the demands of an increasingly whimsical King and the aftershocks of a colourful youth, Donne’s attempts to keep body and soul together become increasingly desperate. Into Thy Hands is a play about a man’s struggle with faith and faithfulness.

Our Review:

5 June 2011

Charting John Donne’s troubled journey from minor songwriter to grandstanding preacher, Into Thy Hands is a richly researched portrait of a complicated character: womaniser and proto-feminist, literary giant and court entertainer, a devout Christian and a violent opponent of the prevailing Puritan order, a radical free thinker and a bittersweet bundle of failure and compromise. It also offers a rigorous interrogation of the central thesis behind much of Donne’s life, work and controversy: that sexual love is not only God’s greatest gift, but is in itself a form of worship.

If that all sounds a bit academic, well, it is. This new work from writer-director Jonathan Holmes often feels too much a product of his academic interests, with some of its the most heartbreaking drama overshadowed by lengthy theological and literary debate. It’s undoubtedly heavyweight, but it’s also heavy going. A patchy ensemble (with Jess Murphy the...

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