Review: 'The Scarlet Letter' at The Gamm Theatre

It has been said that The Scarlett Letter sealed Nathaniel Hawthorne’s reputation as the preeminent American author.  Nearly 160 years after its publication the themes still resonate here in New England.  Phyllis Nagy’s adaptation keeps the core of the story and surgically excises what she believes is not needed.

Jeanine Kane gives a proud, stoic, performance as Boston’s Hester Prynne. The character of Prynne, who is convicted for the crime of adultery, is a work of fiction.  It is, of course, true that a woman (or man) who did not live their life by strict, puritanical, values of the time would be ostracized or, in the extreme, killed for it. 

During Hester’s brief, illicit liaison with Rev. Dimmesdale (Steve Kidd) they conceived a child named Pearl (Casey Seymour Kim).  Hester is publicly scorned and punished after she refuses to identify Pearl’s father.  She is put in stockades and required to where a scarlet letter ’A’ on her chest. 300 years later, much has changed; with the obvious exception of the requirement of celibacy for priests.

Hester’s husband, now calling himself Dr. Chillingworth (Alan F. Hawkidge), went his own way years ago and has now returned. Chillingworth cannot forgive his wife for her loneliness and infidelity and is bent on revenge, threatening to expose his suspicions about the city’s much-loved priest. 

In Nagy’s adaptation, the baby Pearl is cognizant; a fully-formed, if precocious, 7 year-old.  Pearl narrates the story of her mother’s courage, along with her father’s cowardice and eventual redemption.  Pearl wants to be just like her mother.  She doesn’t understand why she and her mother are shunned; has no idea why her mother wears a large letter ‘A’, which has been trimmed with gold thread.  In Casey Seymour Kim’s hands the character reminds me, pleasantly, of Harper Lee’s Scout.

This is not light fare, by any stretch. Much thought is put into making sure that the oppressive nature of puritanical, tyrannical, Massachusetts is felt by the audience.  The tone is set by the monotonous, and overly loud chants that are played as we enter the theater along with a set awash in many shades of grey and an enveloping fog.  The 90-minute play is presented without intermission, which limits how much reality can intrude into the performance space.

Under Judith Swift's direction, the principals, Kane, Kidd and Kim give uniformly rich performances; each playing on the individual actor’s strength.  Alan F. Hawkridge oozes evil, without tipping into caricature.  The supporting cast, which includes Tom Gleadow as Gov. Bellingham, Cliff Odle as Master Brackett and Tray Gearing as Mistress Hibbins give fine performances, as their character provide context and some breathing room from the intense narrative.

The Scarlet Letter runs through June 7th at the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket, RI.  Tickets range from $24-39 and can be purchased by calling 401-723-4266 or by visiting www.arttixri.com.  For more information visit www.gammtheatre.org.

Photo: Jeanine Kane as Hester Prynn and Alan F. Hawkridge as Roger Chillingworth
 
Photo Credit: Peter Goldberg