THEATER REVIEW- The Atheist

The Atheist was another fantastic, smartly written, one-man show. I was nothing short of spellbound the entire time without interrupting myself to yawn, mix’n’match (where imagine the genetic byproducts of the most unlikely couples), or discreetly check the time. This is an especially commendable achievement given the sparse set and did I mention, one man? It was a powerfully delivered performance, clean, moving, and though the character was something of a villain, he was a lovable one (or perhaps I’m just that twisted? I mean, I secretly crushed on Judas in Corpus Christi). Augustine takes us through his humble upbringing, delusions of grandeur, motivation, triumph, and the very familiar game of placing if-then wagers with fate on moral decisions. I want theater to dramatize reality by amplifying it, and afterwards I found myself wishing that there was more to regret, a more despicable shame in Augustine’s life…I wanted to squirm in my seat, to be pushed, challenged, and more than just simply entertained.

Surprisingly under-attended, a sparse audience for what should have been a much more popular show.

Admittedly, I went for the title alone (“There are others? This I must see!”), but I was actually relieved that the discussion of the spiritual was reserved and subtle. Flawed also in its abrupt cop-out ending, which did not fit in with who the created role and broke my willing-suspension before I was ready to let go.