(Posted October 19, 2004) 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If Christ walked among us now, would we embrace him or reject him? Thank him for his sacrifice or sacrifice him to our selfishness?

It may seem fantastic that a play could successfully approach such weighty questions in 85 minutes, but that’s just what People’s Branch Theatre has done with its adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Idiot.

The 1869 allegorical novel about the Christ-like Prince Myshkin’s return to a decaying Russian society has been dramatically condensed by PBT Artistic Director Matt Chiorini into a satirical but touching tale. It may be set in a Russia that no longer exists, but its points about noble ideals versus baser realities are as relevant now as they were when the Romanovs ruled.

Myshkin returns to his hometown from a sanitarium, hoping to reconnect with members of his family and the community. He finds himself among selfish, self-absorbed characters who view him as a fool because of his compassion and integrity.

Chiorini sets the play in 1904, on the eve of internal strife that would ultimately lead to the destruction of the Czarist state and the rise of the Soviet Union. While the time element is fixed with Paul Hull’s costumes and props, Mark McClendon’s split-level set and stark lighting give the production a very modern feel in keeping with the experimental nature of the piece.

Yes, Chiorini has jettisoned much of the book’s sprawling storyline to craft this one-act, but he’s distilled the essence of the story into an entertaining and edifying production. In speaking of Myshkin, Dostoevsky said, ''The chief thing is that they all need him.” Chiorini’s adaptation clearly shows he understands that assessment.

The longtime actor’s direction is well-paced but unobtrusive. Chiorini knows that good direction creates a performance skeleton that is then made flesh by giving actors freedom to stamp their distinctive imprints on the play.

Josh Childs’ Myshkin is a like a lamb led to slaughter, stammering and twitching his way through a world that is largely alien to him. He provides the spiritual core to this show, and along with Matthew Carlton’s emotionally powerful turn as the servant Lebedev, takes this show beyond the comedy-of-manners-meets-social-satire it might have been otherwise.

The rest of the ensemble – Rona Carter, Herbert Mark Parker, Jeremy Childs, Misty Lewis, Brandon Boyd and Jennifer Richmond – fill out The Idiot’s decadent world well. That’s not surprising given these actors’ strong work in the past, but considering the high dramatic stakes they’re playing for, it’s a notable accomplishment nevertheless.

The Idiot is why Nashville needs PBT - it's funny, daring, engaging and thought-provoking theater. The show reminds us that Nashville has some very talented stage artists trodding its boards. It also reminds us that good theater lives in the present even when it touches on the past. Bravo!

To See The Show…

The Idiot ended its run at Belcourt Theatree on Oct. 9.