American playwright Mark St. Germain’s drama ‘The God Committee’, similar in style to Reginald Rose’s classic 1956 play ‘Twelve Angry Men’, is the current production playing at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre.
Both these plays feature a group of people, comprising very different personalities, meeting formally and having to reach an agreement on a critical matter. In the case of ‘The God Committee’ seven health care professionals, based at the St Patrick’s Metropolitan Hospital, have to choose which of four chronically ill patients are get the one donor heart that has become available. As in ‘Twelve Angry Men’ the clock is ticking fast, in this instance the Doctors have to make a decision within the hour or the donor heart will no longer be viable.
Andrew Doyle’s current production is a worthy Australian premiere of St. Germain’s thought provoking play. In particular, the play looks at the criteria Doctors use in coming to such major decisions. Factors such as a patients good character and social support network come in to play as much as their physical constitution.
Doyle’s direction is well paced, clear and focused, and in touch with the many nuances in the writing. The cast keep the intensity up for what is a heavy duty 80 minutes of theatre. As the time counts down conflicts brew and boil over.
Deborah Galanos’s grieving psychiatrist Dr Ann Ross has a stoush with priest Father Charles Dunbar (Noel Hodda) over whether her daughter would be in hell after having committed suicide. Rachael Coopes plays young, idealistic medic Dr Keira Banks who tries to get some compassion out of the stern and steely cardiologist Dr Alex Gorman.
Robert Alexander plays the head of the Committee, battling ill health and intent on leaving a lasting legacy. Peter Turnbull is the eccentric, well meaning social worker who carries with him a toolbox of one liners, and sees himself as a bit of a comedian, trying to lighten the atmosphere up.
Colin Mitchell’s staging works well. The cast play around a long conference table and are shadowed by wall portraits of distinguished medical fellows of St Patricks. Also, in the background, is an office window that looks out at the New York cityscape.
Recommended, Andrew Doyle’s production of Mark St Germain’s ‘The God Committee’ plays the Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli until August 29, 2010.