In one of the most challenging works of theatre ever performed in Youghal, a one-man play premiering in the Mall Arts centre this week depicts the human side of Christ in his final years. By Christy Parker | Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com | Barry Lawlor http://www.lawlorimaging.com/

The Passion sees local actor Brian Hogan adopt the roles of several characters as he leads the audience through the three years preceding and including the scourging at the cross. Brian’s challenge is to convey the emotions, conflicts and frailties of human beings caught up in what would transpire to be the most profound drama in history of mankind.

The 90-minute performance, across two acts, “has religious undertones but looks at the Easter story in a non-religious manner,” says playwright Sean O’Neill. “It focuses on the humanity of Christ and other central characters such as Pontius Pilate, Mary Magdalene and the Roman soldier who pierced Christ’s side with his sword.”

The writer -a Dubliner now living in Youghal- trawled across ancient manuscripts that included the Dead Sea Scrolls, in a research project spanning almost a decade. “I wanted to get as full a picture of Christ’s times and circumstances, as against the rather romanticised version of his life promoted by Church institutions,” he says of his work.

As far as the play is concerned, it’s irrelevant whether or not Jesus was the Saviour, because at the time he was considered just one of hundreds of self-acclaimed prophets.  “Nonetheless, he had acquired a large following while claiming to be the Son of God. This worried the high priests, known as the Sanhedrin, who enforced the law,” explains Sean. “So they killed him without a fair trial.”

Jesus’s Background

The playwright stresses the importance of the political and social structures of the time in defining Jesus. Sean subscribes that “there were four main religious sects in Israel; the Pharisees (generally artists and workers who believed in the afterlife and retribution in next world), the Essenes (ascetics who embraced self-sacrifice), Sadducees (elite class who also believed in afterlife, angels, etc but who made fortunes selling ‘indulgences’ in the temple) and the Zealots (off-stream revolutionaries, opposed to Roman rule). Various argument depict Jesus as being a member either of the Pharisees or the Essenes.

In Sean’s understanding, Jesus would have followed the teachings of his cousin, John the Baptist, an Essene who advocated redemption from sin through baptism. “Jesus spent time fasting in the dessert where, unsurprisingly, he suffered hallucinations,” Sean proceeds. “On his return John was beheaded and Jesus assumed his message. He also claimed he had to die to save mankind but he wouldn’t have been the first prophet to claim this.”

Profits as much as prophets were to be Jesus’s undoing. He routed the indulgence-selling, money-collectors in the temple for, basically, racketeering at a time when 50% of children died through poverty before reaching five. This enhanced his growing support and further undermining the power of the Sanhedrin and other elitists and sealed his faith. “Against this background, we see the non-divine, humanity of Jesus emerge,” observes Sean.

Judas, Pilate etc…

The play’s opening half deals with the three years of Jesus’s ministry. Part two addresses the scourging. Brian endeavours to bring a depth and a new perspective to each of seven characters. Pontius Pilate is re-assessed. “Its unlikely he ever actually met Jesus personally, as he would oversee hundreds of crucifixions in a week,” Sean reflects. Judas, likewise, is revisited. “He was a very learned man, who spoke several languages. I think he sought to intervene on Jesus’s behalf and in time the perception came about that he betrayed him,” Sean alaborates.

Other characters depicted are John the Baptist, Peter the Apostle and the Roman Centurion. Mary Magdalene (played in a short cameo by Terri McCarthy) is also represented amidst insinuation that she has conducted an emotional and physical relationship with Jesus. “He was a rabbi by then and rabbis were incomplete without a partner,” explains Sean.

Challenging

The play presents an unprecedented challenge to (pardon the ironic pun) the life of Brian Hogan, recently returned from his appearance as Vince Matthews in Fair City and more accustomed to plying his talents on a shared stage with Youghal’s Little Theatre and the Brideview Players. I In his first solo role, the actor is imposed upon to hold the audience as he invokes a gamut of emotions, from grief to anger, through guilt, joy, despair and much, much more. He cites “the self pity of Judas and the arrogance of the centurion” as characteristics he has not previously personified, while the reminder, “are familiar but demand more intensity.”

Relishing the challenge, Brian says he has “really, really strived to get into the heads of these characters.” To that effect, Sean encouraged him to let the characters “evolve through trial and error on the rehearsal floor.” As Brian observes, “Every person has many sides to their character and so it’s really about combining the script with personal experience.”  The end result, hopefully, will see audiences emerge with a renewed and deeper understanding of Christ and perhaps one closer to one’s own self-perception.

All local

Brian is abetted in his efforts by local contributions from sound engineer Warren Tivy, lighting technician Tony Irwin and set designer Jesse DeLacour. Local reflection perhaps further extends to the playwright himself, who believes he may be related to the 1798 martyr Fr. Peter O’Neill.  “It was often mentioned in my family when I was growing up that we were related to him, though I’ve no way of proving it just yet,” he explains.

Sean first came to Youghal 20 years ago, through his ex-wife, a Cork woman whom he met through theatre in London. Over the past decade he has twice lived here prior to this permanent reinstatement since 2007. “I have long considered Youghal my spiritual home and now it’s my physical home also,” he smiles.

A seasoned traveller, his life has centred on theatre as writer, actor, director and producer in Ireland, Britain and America. His work has played to audiences in San Francisco as well London and the Triskle in Cork, where, amongst other projects, he directed Frank O’Connor’s An Only Child. A former member of the Cork Shakespeare Company, he now teaches drama at the National Learning Institute in Model farm Road. In his spare time he is simultaneously working on two novels.

Sean says he turned down requests to open The Passion in London, Dublin and Cork. “I thought, ‘why not Youghal? There is enough talent here that’s for sure.” Now there is The Passion to match it.

The Passion runs from Tuesday March 30st to Saturday April 3rd. Admission €20; (opening night €15); concession/OAP/students €15.  Advance tickets at Cree’s card shop. Doors open 7.30. Complimentary wine, teas and coffee.

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