Season 21 Play 2 – The Devils by John Whiting
Directed by
Cast
Adam, a chemist – John Waddington-Feather
Ninon, a young widow – Janet Smith
Louis Trincant, Public Prosecutor – David J. Hare
Phillipe, Trincant’s daughter – Joan A. Boulton
Jean D’Armagnac, Governor of Loudun – Tony Reavill
Sewerman – Les Dickinson
Father Urbain Grandier, Vicar of St. Peter’s Church – RIchard Blackwell
De la Rochepozay, Bishop of Poitiers – Donald Horton
Father Rangier – Terry Greaves
Father Barré – Colin Sanders
Sister Jeanne of the Angels, Prioress of St. Ursula’s Convent – Jean Dickinson
Cardinal Richelieu – Clifford Foster
Delaubardemont, King’s Special Commissioner to Loudun – Roland Coombes
Sister Claire of St. John – Valerie Norton
Sister Louise of Jesus – Jennifer Illingworth
Sister Gabrielle of the Incarnation – Mary Farrer
Father Mignon – Keith Short
Prince Henri de Condé – Donald Horton
Bontemps, a gaoler – David Robinson
Father Ambrose – Robert Shaw
Choirboys, attendants to the Prince, boys of the street, etc – Stewart Petrie, David Little, Ian CrItchley
Women of the neighbourhood – Margot Illingworth, Catharine Robertshaw
Synopsis
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Directors Notes
This is a play about “possession” —in one case possession by devils, and in the other, possession by physical appetites, and the Producer’s first task is to try to decide whether the demonic possession is genuine, and whether the physical possession is all embracing.
There is no doubt in my mind that Jeanne’s demon is frustration, just as Grandier’s demon is satiation. The carnal appetites in the one are starved, and in the other over-indulged-and in both cases this imbalance creates chaos.
So much for that—but there is very much more to it than that.
Grandier, despite his excesses is searching always for a way to God— and Jeanne also, actually says “I will find a way.” This is the underlying theme of the play but upon it the author has built an exciting and engrossing story of life in medieval France. Try to remember that Grandier’s contemporaries do not seem really to mind how he behaves, or to be surprised at it. And Jeanne’s ” possession” does not seem to surprise them either. In fact the author describes the “examination” scene much as he would a travelling circus.
I leave it to you to decide whether the demons are real or imaginary-and whether Sister Jeanne or Father Grandier is the more to be pitied. And what of Barré driving out devils from others and blind to his own-or Trincant, so obsessed with his poetry that he can’t see where he is leading his own daughters.
You are not asked to agree with the author—I don’t myself, completely, but he has written, in my opinion, a major work, which cannot be ignored.