Doubt: A Parable at Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov Studio – review

The Ustinov is a space that encourages titanic performances. From Kenneth Cranham in The Father to Rosie Sheehy tearing the stage up in Machinal, the intimacy between audience and performer and the epic qualities the space gives to directors’ imaginations provide a platform for memorable performances. Add to these Maxine Peake and Ben Daniels, whose candid confrontations spark fireworks in John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize winner Doubt.

Daniels and Peake are actors at the peak of their powers, which allows them to pull out every nuance of this tight, mystery play that leaves questions unanswered and encourages debate. Set in St Nicholas, a Bronx church and school in 1964, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Peake) runs the establishment with an iron fist, a vastly different philosophy than the avuncular Father Flynn (Daniels) prone to sermons and a bit of basketball training on the side. When new teacher Sister James (Holly Godliman making an impressive stage debut, all perky innocence unsure which side of the coin she will join) reports that a Black student came out of Flynn’s office quiet and with alcohol on his breath, Sister Alioysius starts a crusade to take down Flynn.

Whether he is guilty of abuse is never revealed. Shanley excellently balances all sides, each bit of information drip-fed in, providing ammunition for prosecution and defence. Can the fact that Flynn uses a ballpoint pen rather than a fountain pen and wears his fingernails long be a sign of moral deviancy?  Does Aloysius’ Rottweiler attack come from a place of pure moral crusading, or the fact she feels threatened by his power and popularity? Can both be true at once? It’s a work consistently changing its viewpoints depending on the production, your experience, and the actors.

Peake is happy to play unlikeable, her moral steadfastness (she even criticises Frosty the Snowman for being too secular) providing plenty of moments of humour. Her need to blitz through every confrontation, her unwillingness to listen, to just fire artillery makes her a challenging protagonist, yet one who is living in fear of a world that is changing. Daniels is mesmerising, on the surface the kind of man who can produce change for the better. Whether this is surface for something darker is always up for discourse, something behind the eyes suggests secrets that can’t be revealed. Flynn is played older here, Lindsay Posner’s production treats them as two equals in a head-to-head, again slightly shifting the perceptions from the original text that stipulates that Flynn is a generation younger than she is.

The play’s strongest scene takes place towards its climax as the mother of the potential abused is invited into a meeting. Her clear-eyed view of the world that her son is growing up in and her acceptance of what may be draws gasps from its audience. Rachel John, better known for her musical theatre work, plays it clear-eyed and steely, not ready to be used as a pawn in a bigger battle of ideology, willing to accept her son is being shown love, even if that form is improper. It’s an electrifying scene that shows that dialogue still has the power to cause a visceral reaction.

Peter McKintosh’s set signifies both office and garden, a singular branch looming ominously over the action. At 90 minutes it’s work that doesn’t ease up. Early on, Flynn preaches about doubt bringing communities together. This is a work that audiences will continue to debate, and here it is given two illuminating performances to cast further doubt.