Christian Play Critique

The Christians Critique The Christians investigates the consequences that occur when the pastor of a megachurch announces that there is no hell. This jarring claim made at the beginning of the play sets the stage for many future conflicts and obstacles. Performed at the DeWitt Theatre on Hope’s campus, the play did an excellent job of encouraging the audience to think about what his or her spiritual responsibility is as a parent, spouse, or congregation member. Furthermore, I noticed that the lighting techniques, the skilled acting, and the symbolism enhanced the play’s meaning and its impact on the audience. The lighting techniques used in the play helped the audience to connect with the play. As the audience entered the theatre, the stage was in full view with no curtain covering it. As I sat in my seat waiting for the performance to begin, I …show more content…
The back drop behind the choir prominently featured the color purple, Pastor Paul’s tie was purple, and Elizabeth’s dress was purple. Purple can be seen as a religious color; it is often associated with Lent and Easter. Therefore, the reoccurrence of the color could be to enhance the religious tone of the show. However, I interpreted the color purple as a symbol of suffering. In the Bible, Jesus was covered in purple cloth by the Roman soldiers before he was crucified. Similarly, Pastor Paul was wearing purple before his church went back into debt and lost the majority of its members. Elizabeth was wearing purple before her husband belittled her and her marriage started to deteriorate. The church displayed purple in its backdrop, the location of many conflicts and episodes of pain. This motif added depth to the play and enhanced the meaning of the play. While the play does not take a stance on the existence of hell, it does seem to suggest that suffering is a major part of life on earth, and the purple motif strengthened this