Holy Mothers or "Die Presidentinnen"

Holy Mothers by Werner Schwab (1958-1994); Translation by Meredith Oakes. Directed by Jacqueline Van de Geer. With: Marie-Noelle Dufour, Caroline Fournier, Michaela De Casare. Presented by MiaYaya and Orange Eyes Productions at Théàtre Saint Catherine, April 5th preview @ 19h30, & 6th to 10th @ 20h; matinées April 10th, 11th, 14h.

Three blue collar religious women engage in a sinister show to tell their fantasies and a growing discomfort develops as we watch and listen. We soon recognize the struggle for domination and the insistence that one's fantasy world view must replace and annihilate all the others. Schwab playfully, and with deadpan innocence, invites us into the world of these three, on the surface, seemingly harmless eccentrics. Rapidly we become aware that we've seen this play before in the realities of our own twentieth century history. The power of fantasy is seductive; it can captivate whole peoples and, as we see all to often in the news either about the treatment of prisoners of war or the behavior of trusted religious leaders, it can cause untold suffering in the names of piety, morality and even justice. What begins as a pleasant evening at home among three friends dissolves into horrifying and ludicrous chaos, a devolution that mirrors the process by which rosy ideals become the justification for genocide.

The language of the text is at times awkward, unclear and quite uneven in the translation. Set design although adequate for the play was somewhat over cluttered for this small stage, which should have had the extension added to accommodate all the downstage action. As for the lighting it is a very appropriate well focused design.

The performances were at times over acted and somewhat forced with an almost deliberate camp delivery. Caroline Fournier as Grete the sexually unsatisfied golden ager, who's fantasies are not unlike those of Blanch on Golden Girls, appeared to be pushing herself through the text to get to her character through the scenes. Michaela Di Cesare as Mariedl is cute and comical as the 'look no gloves' toilet-unclogging expert and is the butt of most of the jokes. The performance of Marie-Noëlle Dufour as the mother striving to become a grandmother Ema, has the most consistent performance and most identifiable character.

The production would have benefited by some tightening up of the blocking and transitions and being presented in one act with no intermission. The ending is not one that everyone will get or necessary accept, but then it's art so it's subjective. Tickets : 15$ reg. 12$ student & senior, QDF @ Theatre Ste-Catherine. GO C IT!