I can say that I had some issues with the highly theatrical take on the 19th Century Gothic novel. While the color-blind inter-racial casting works fine, the use of such accurate RP British accents was so dominate that the cast got so overwhelmed with their sounds that their characters came off as period-dressed costumes living in their RP speech at the expense of being believable real characters. Add much screaming and, at times, rapid-fire talking and many important plot details got lost in the over emotional over-the-top performances.

Death Tax suffers from a too extreme plot that necessitates us believing that nurses are easily corrupted and that nursing home can keep an unhealthy patient alive for more than twenty years. Also, no one seems willing to consider that Maxine’s paranoia is a delusion. Since Maxine is so nasty,I couldn’t care what happens to her. Death Tax is simply to contrived. The performances were terrific, especially from Deanna Dunagan and J. Nicole Brooks.

Set in the 1790’s, Lucidus Culling (terrific performance by Brian Plocharcyzk) is a cowardly young gentleman who hate violence as he just wants to study bugs and butterflies to his father’s dismay. Nathaniel Culling (the intense Stephan Walker) demands that his son protect the family honor by dueling with anyone who insults the family. So when the hapless Lucidus initiates a duel, father is pleased but Lucidua is terrified at the thought. His foppish pals, Gavin (Ian McLaren) and Robert (Spenser Davis) understand Lucidus’ fear. Robert suggest that he hires a common criminal to fight the duel in his place.

And the subtext concerning all character’s interest in the 1968 Baseball World Series and the personal crisis of faith by both Clare and Father Lentine and Miracles in the Fall is surly a miracle in that this awful play ever got mounted. Once sparks fly between the priest and the nun, we start rolling our eyes in disbelief. And later when we learn that Father Lentine, at age sixteen (who allows a teenager to join the priesthood at 16 years old? And since when are Jesuits – a teaching order – doing parish work?), enter the seminary because he believed that his asthma was cured because he entered the seminary. Ridiculous! Clearly, playwright O’ Connor didn’t do enough research.