Michael Galvin's new play about religious phonies

Station to Station by Michael Galvin
Herald Theatre, The Edge
Until July 11th

One of the great problems which confront most religions is how to deal with fact that the gods work in mysterious ways. Good people get afflicted with pain and suffering and bad people seem to have a great time. This is normally put down to the gods testing us and personably if we don’t pass the test we end up in hell while the bad people jump the queue to get into heaven by just saying sorry a couple of minutes before they die.

It just goes to show that religions are very flawed in the way they attempt to understand the world

Michael Galvin's new play Station to Station is possibly about flawed religions or about the way that religions corrupt our way of looking at the world. It cleverly balances drama, humour and shrewd insights into contemporary society and the palce of religion.

Pastor Simon (Michael Galvin), an ex TV personality like many of the muddle headed Christians believes in the second coming and to that end he has been told or worked out from the Bible that the Temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt and that can only happen if the Dome of The Rock in Jerusalem (the Muslim holy place above the Wailing Wall) is destroyed.

He has found just the man to do it, an ex soldier ( Mark Ruka) who has just returned from his job as a security guard in Iraq, someone used to killing Muslims. Pastor Simon manages to tempt him with his pretty little helper Veronica (Antonio Prebble) as well as manipulating the soldiers mother (Ilona Rodgers).

The play is built on a number of religious notions. The soldier is called Son, he’s the one who has to be burdened with the truth and his mother is called Mother and grieves a bit. Veronica has her biblical reference with the veronica who wipes the face of Jesus and Simon has all the hallmarks of Simon Peter the top apostle.

The play is structured in fourteen segments each being titled with one of the names of the stations of the cross, that series of events of Christ’s last hours which are intended as a metaphor for the hurdles of mans own life.

Michael Galvin’s Simon is a perceptive study in the misguided religious leaders who interpret or misinterpret the words of the bible to create a view of the world and a way of thinking which allows them to manipulate peoples fear and curiosity of the unknown.

His opening scene is a brilliant depiction of the church as theatre as he performed an evangelical routine which is both a good example and a great parody of the worst of the television evangalists.

It is the Son who acts as a counter to these primitive religious ideas, dismissing the olds tales of the kaumatua on the marae saying that the gods are really only the same as comic book heroes, mythic creatures which have been turned into realities.

Mark Ruka as the staunch Maori warrior gives an impressive performance his subtle facial expressions displaying a range of complex emotions.

Antonio Prebble as the sweet but devious Veronica creates a role that grows in complexity throughout the play as she discovers her ability ot influence the Son, exposes her own weaknesses.

Her role also highlights the subtle and not so subtle links between religion and sensuality as she beguiles the Son

Ilona Rodgers as the Mother who is exploited not so much by ideas but the charm and hints of sensuality creates a robust Everywoman, full of human frailties.

Station to Station is a finely crafted play working on a number of levels. Christians will probably understand more of the subtleties although they may not appreciate them.

Director Cameron Rhodes draws out the emotional drama of the play by skillful manipulation of the actors.

Ultimately it is a play about the way in which human beings are nor saved through belief in a primitive god or invented codes of behaviour but through their personal commitment to their fellow humans.

Salvation does not come through any of the gods but through individuals who realise their own failings and attempt to do good for others.