[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Moving Arts‘s Unreconciled by Jay Sefton, co-written by Mark Basquill, and directed by Gerladine Hughes as part of their Arts Expanded Series.
Unreconciled is perhaps the most accurately named show I have ever seen. Written and performed by Jay Sefton, this solo play recounts Sefton’s adolescent abuse by a parish priest, his experience with the Catholic church’s reparations program and the turmoil of years of abuse by a man his family trusted.
Sefton plays himself from a sweet innocent young boy and on through the abuse. He also characterises the priest, some of the other boys of the parish, his mother and, most poignantly I think, his father. Who heartbreakingly faces the horror head on. Unflinchingly embodying the truth of it. A mirror. A shining light. Forcing us and them not to look away or deflect or in any way qualify this man’s betrayal of everyone. Child, parents, parish and god.
It began when he was given the role of Jesus in the annual parish play. The play was written and directed by the parish priest and he kept a close hold on the proceedings. He was odd, but priests often are, aren’t they? And parents in communities that revolve around the church have minds that sometimes can’t quite grasp the obvious. Particularly in times past, before the scandals were so prevalent and before the flood of lawsuits and payoffs and Hollywood movies.
Any home felt honored when the priest came for dinner, why wouldn’t it? Nowadays, those memories are wracked with guilt and disgust and a sickening that tore apart families and communities, and the hearts of children.
Unreconciled is beautifully, carefully and tenderly written. In spite of the subject. In place of the shadows, there is a kind of brightness to it. An illumination of what happened to so many.
Sefton morphs from person to person without gratuitous affectation. He gives these people grace and love and kindness. All except the priest, of course. He gives him a cold, hard oddness and shark-like eyes.
It’s difficult to say that I loved this play. And yet I did. Deeply. The story unfolded with much more gentleness than it could have. And that I think was very intentional, to shield the audience in some way from the real tragic harm of all of it. And perhaps Sefton himself.
Sefton and his co-writer Mark Basquill are both therapists, and it’s very clear that they took great care in constructing the story. As if we are the children whose lives were wrecked and ravaged. The effect is profound. The poetic almost lyrical flow of it all, and the father so sweetly wrought and so achingly heroic.
Unreconciled is utterly moving and thoughtfully made. Sefton’s magical visceral performance is truly one of the best I have seen on stage or screen for many many years. He is a phenomenal actor and chooses to bare himself completely, to give a voice to so many who have lost theirs, it is a precious gift indeed.
Unreconciled runs through Monday and I cannot recommend this unforgettable play more highly. Bravo. And thank you.
Where:
Moving Arts
3191 Casitas Ave., Suite 100, Atwater Village
When:
Friday, March 21: 8 PM
Saturday, March 22: 2 PM
Saturday, March 22: 8 PM
Sunday, March 23: 2 PM
Monday, March 24: 8 PM
Friday, March 28: 8 PM
Saturday, March 29: 2 PM
Saturday, March 29: 8 PM
Sunday, March 30: 2 PM
Monday, March 31: 8 PM