The Last Days of Judas Iscariot [theatre production review]

First of all, let me add the disclaimer at the very beginning, because I know that many people who went to opening night may not realize what a stage reading is. What I (and a Pacific Theatre packed stage) witnessed was what in theatrical terms is called a stage reading. Actors prepared for this particular performance for two and a half days. I had no clue until I actually heard the director (Stephen Drover) explain before the show begun. And by the end of the show, I adored Stephen. He’s such a talented director and nice guy.

The description on Facebook (read below) doesn’t really do it justice. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is an agile, fluid, sarcastic, funny and delightful show that probes our beliefs on whether Judas Iscariot indeed betrayed Jesus, on whether forgiveness can exist at the highest levels. The last scene (you HAVE to be attentive up until the end of the play) is incredibly powerful (I am not giving away anything, you have to see it for yourself).

A couple thousand years after his infamous kiss, the paperwork has finally been filed and Judas will get his trial—but Satan is on the witness list. Pacific Theatre is proud to present, in a co-production with Pound of Flesh Theatre, an extended staged reading of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ wildly funny and scathingly provocative drama THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT. In a cosmic courtroom drama that mixes myth and history, set halfway between Heaven and Hell in a place called Hope, the witnesses are called—Mother Teresa, Pontius Pilate, Sigmund Freud, a foul-mouthed Saint Monica, and, of course, Satan—to decide eternal questions of forgiveness, mercy, and damnation.

I definitely loved every single actor’s performance, including Sarah Afful (St. Monica), Camyar Chai (Jesus), Alexa Devine (Mary Magdalene), Bob Frazer (outstanding as Judas Iscariot), Erla Faye Forsyth (Henrietta Iscariot), Anthony F. Ingram (Freud, St. Thomas), Michael Kopsa (whom I really liked as Satan), Benjamin Miller (Bailiff), Kevin McNulty (a very stern and funny Judge Littlefield), Dawn Petten (Mother Teresa), Ron Reed (Butch Honeywell, Matthias), Denis Simpson (Pontius Pilate, Simon the Zealot – great performances too), Katharine Venour (dead-pan right and fantastic as Cunningham), Marcus Youssef (fantastic and funny El Fayoumey), with the excellent direction of Simon Drover.

I had a chance to have an in-depth and delightful conversation with both Michael Kopsa (who appeared in several episodes of Cold Squad) and Bob Frazer (who was Iago on Othello, another play I reviewed). I mentioned to Michael that his turn as Lucifer was incredibly funny and really solid. Frazer (who was Judas Iscariot) was unbelievably good in his role as Judas Iscariot, showing a very broad range (vulnerable, human, remorseful, disoriented and angry). I told Bob Frazer that I loved him during the first half of Othello, and hated him deeply during the second half (which, as Bob said, is exactly what should happen).

With a multicultural, outstandingly talented, versatile and adaptive cast, the production of The Last Judas Iscariot put together a show that, despite being a stage reading, really made me feel as though it had been a full-on show. I really despise the cuts to arts funding because they are putting our extremely solid theatre scene here in Vancouver under risk. So I would encourage my readers to check the plays I have been writing about, because we do have a vibrant and solid theatre community here. Let us help them stay afloat.

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Related posts:

1. Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2011 – film review: Judas Kiss
2. Gift of Screws [upcoming theatre production]
3. House of Kosa (upcoming theatre production)
4. Guest theatre review – Bash – latter days
5. Theatre review – “The 21st Floor” at PAL Theatre (Coal Harbour)