Agnes of God

by John Pielmeier

Overview

Drama / Characters: 3 Females

Summoned to a covent, Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court-appointed psychiatrist, is charged with assessing the sanity of a young novitiat accused of murdering her newborn. Miriam Ruth, the Mother Superior, determindly keeps young Agnes from the doctor, arousing Livingstone's suspicions further. Who killed the infant and who fathered the tiny victim? Livingstone's questions force all three women to re-examine the meaning of faith and the power of love leading to a dra

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780573630224
Publisher:	Samuel French, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/02/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	76
Sales rank:	441,494
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.30(d)

Editorial Reviews

Agnes of God (1982), a somber, rather slow three-character tragedy, concerns Agnes, 21, a deranged nun accused of murdering her newborn. A court-appointed psychiatrist, an atheist, and the Mother Superior spar ineffectively on theology and miracles and discuss their lives. Twice the doctor puts Agnes under hypnosis, revealing a tortured childhood, denials, and, finally, a confession and improbable motive. As scripted in this new recording of the play, Agnes sings many plainsongs, with which Emily Bergl, a fine actor, is plaintive; Barbara Bain's Mother Superior is rock solid; Harriet Harris, the doctor, tends to be flat instead of neutral in interrogations but is better in monologs. The screenplay for the 1985 film adaptation also by Pielmeier omitted monologs and extraneous dialog and added interesting characters and a happy ending; its video version is better suited to the general public. This audio program is recommended for libraries serving film and drama students rather than for popular consumption. Gordon Blackwell, Eastchester, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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