A NoHo Arts theatre review of “Mother Grace,” written by Aditya Putcha, and directed by Stephan Juhl at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Aditya Putcha’s play “Mother Grace” poses the question, can a life of attrition balance the burden of a violent crime?
A young boy is abused and neglected by his mother, he seeks comfort in the welcoming arms of a neighbor only to be sexually abused by her. Then, searching for company and love, he frequents a sex club and falls for one of the mistresses. After realising she has a boyfriend, he becomes angry and rapes her. Although he tries to kill himself and is taken in by a visiting chaplain at the hospital he is taken to he never really repents or even reaches out to the woman he thought he loved.
Years later, after becoming the leading chaplain of the church that took him in and after helping many people for many years, the woman he raped finds him again and confronts him threatening to expose him to his congregation. He must decide to admit his sin and beg forgiveness or to run.
This man was brutalised as a child, emotionally and physically. He was taken advantage of, and it twisted his understanding of love and sex. However, is this enough of an excuse for what he did? Is there ever any kind of excuse for that? Personally, I think not. But this play really does lay out the life and everything in it that brought him to the moment. Sexual abuse is so prevalent in our world. It filters through class and economics and race and color and occupation. It happens to young and old, sex workers and priests. There is nowhere it can’t reach. Talking about it, refusing to let it stay in the shadows can only do good.
This play boldly asks the question, are we as bad as our worst moments, or can we be measured by more than that? It’s well written, very creative and all the actors do an excellent job with a very difficult subject.
Cast:
Starring: Leslie Foumberg, Charlotte Frøyland, Sydney Grey, Julia Linger, Tristan Meyers, Linda Nile, Wade Oxford, Richard Page, and Christine Viviers.
When:
Thursday June 23 at 9:30 PM
Sunday June 26 at 12:00 PM
Video On Demand tickets are also available.
Where:
5636 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 90038