Theatre Review:   THE SHROUD OF TURIN

A physical scientist who is also a homesick baseball nut. A new-age ex-lawyer jogger. The quintessential yuppie investment banker. Jesus Christ. A dilapidated piece of burlap. The belt of heaven and hell. Put them together in the grotto of an Italian cathedral and what have you got? "The Shroud of Turin," that's what, an original one-act musical by Jesse Hartman ('91) and Luke Wood ('91), given as a staged reading at Eclectic near the end of last semester (Spring '89).

"The Shroud" was created as a project for the general education course, CHEM 348, which encourages and supports science-related writing in various genres. Hartman and Wood used most available genres at once in this "American" musical, and rounded up a handful of hard core Wesleyan theatre fugitives and assorted members of their own band, "The Worrying Thing," for the performance. The result was what has been described as a cross between the "Newhart" show with music and an interlude from the Brothers Karamazov.

The central theme of the show is the clash of science and religion over the consequences of dating the shroud. The debate is spurred at the outset by Jesus (Bob Defandorf '89) and scientist Sidney St. Hubbins (Adam Sigel '91) who claims, after a tough day of carbon-14 dating, that he's not "Testing for Christness." Jesus is concerned that should Sidney's dating prove the shroud inauthentic, the faith and hopes of millions of believers will be broken. Enter yuppie Elizabeth Brooks (Cecilia Johnson '89) and Choam Underhill (Alex Neidell '89) as uncorrelated tourists. Elizabeth, newly afflicted with MBA disease, traces her religious history in a song called "I Don't Believe." She instinctively tries to get Sydney and Jesus to settle their dispute by application of Japanese management techniques, which always work. Adding to the confusion, Choam chimes in with his philosophy, "I Am Me," (espoused to the fullest in his book, "One-on-One-on-You" which he's recently been peddling at various international airports).

Adam Sigel plays the scientist as a sort of lab coat Colombo character with 400 pens and pencils poking out of his breast pocket. Defandorf, chain smoking in terry cloth bathrobe and bare feet, was obviously born again to be Jesus. Neidell, with his spandex pants and Uncle Sam hat brings a dignity to the new age movement far beyond that of previous exponents such as Shirley MacLaine, but nonetheless fails to convince Elizabeth ("This guy is full of shit!"). Cecilia Johnson's stage presence enlivens things throughout, and her offering of "I Don't Believe" and crystalline entrance on a later song called "The Shroud Has Been Speaking" were superb. The ensemble singing in the rocking "Faith That Was There All Along" really raised the roof of Eclectic.

The Shroud, which went up with only a month or so of writing and little real rehearsal, nevertheless charmed the audience of 40 or so on two occasions with raw creative energy and a great sense of the ridiculous. To say a good time was had by all is an understatement. The musical score, in the vein of soft rock with gospel and jazz influence, is highly lyrical and catchy. The show is full of good ideas, great one-liners and surprises, but obviously needs its screw tightened. This is a work in progress which is expected to undergo subsequent rewritings and future production at Wesleyan.

Don't miss it!

--D.L. Beveridge and Nicole Zell

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CAST

Jesus Christ: Bob Defandorf

Elizabeth Brooks: Cecilia Johnson

Choam Underhill: Alex Neidell

Sidney St. Hubbins: Adam Sigel

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MUSICIANS

Piano: Jesse Hartman

Percussion and Drums: Timothy Orr:

Bass: John Steeb

Guitar: Benjamin Wheelock

Conductor: Jake Wood