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Corpus Christi
By Terrance McNally
Directed by Wayne Shaw
Produced by Ludicrous Theatre Company
At BoHo Theatre at Heartland Studio
7016 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL
Call (773) 791-2393 tickets $15
Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2 & 8 pm
Running time is 1 hour 50 minutes without intermission
Through December 13, 2008
Gay take on the Jesus story doesn’t go far enough for 21st Century audiences
My first encounter with Ludicrous Theatre found me interested in seeing Terrance McNally’s 1998 semi-religious gay take on the New Testament’s story of Jesus, Corpus Christi. McNally paints Jesus as a gay man born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas where he was known as Joshua. All twelve of His Disciples were also gay. McNally uses a strange structure as he blends New Testament theology with modern gay sensibilities and stereotypes to produce a semi-campy and somewhat religious play. My problem the show comes from McNally and director Wayne Shaw’s trying to be all things with the show.
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Playing Jesus and His Disciples as gay men sure has possibilities to make a statement and offend the Christian bigots but the work doesn’t go far enough to sting the conservative Christians. Actually, Corpus Christi starts out as a gay play then it changes tone and becomes a re-enactment of the New Testament’s account of the life of Jesus from his birth to his Crucifixion. Once the show becomes a religious polemic, the gay references are toned down as Jesus is portrayed (by Dustin Spence) as a charismatic shaman who happens to be gay. Joshua (Jesus) does perform a gay marriage but the gayness of most of the show wears thin as the show takes on an eerie religious tone that made me wonder if the play is more religious than anti-religious?
I expected McNally to go mush further with the gay Jesus concept. Once the minor shock value is over, Corpus Christi plays like a mild gay version of the life of Jesus. There is too much New Testament theology for my taste. I’d like to see more blasphemy from the gay Jesus to offend the Christians. As the show plays out, the players revert into gay archetypes that satirize gays. Dustin Spence does a credible job to portray Joshua as Jesus. He has the right under-played charisma and smoothly gentle stage presence to make Jesus into a figure worth following. Kevin Heller, as Judas, was believable as the betrayer. In summary, Corpus Christi has an interesting premise that gets lost as it tries to be both a mock of Christianity and a tribute to the possibility of a gay Christ. It simply doesn’t go far enough.
Somewhat Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2008
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