Presented by and at the Barrow Group, 312 W. 36 St., NYC, Feb. 28-April 4. Casting by Marcia DeBonis.
With David Edgar's 1994 "Pentecost," here given its New York premiere by the Barrow Group, you get two plays for the price of one. Unhappily, this is not the bargain it might seem. It's a pity, because Edgar likes to play with big, significant themes. The problem is that the first half of the play is only tenuously connected to the second. Edgar calls the first act a "whopaintedit." In an unnamed country south of Hungary, Gabriella Pecs (Oksana Lada), a local art curator, and a British art historian, Oliver Davenport (Marc Aden Gray), are determining the authenticity of a fresco in an abandoned church. Could this possibly be where the Italian Renaissance really began? Amid local clerics and bureaucrats, in walks Leo Katz (Stephen Singer), American art historian, to give his opinion and create further confusion. Tempers flare as cultures clash. It's all about the solving of a mystery and as such is often intriguing.
In the final moments of the first act, the church is suddenly invaded by an armed group of asylum seekers, representing the unwanted flotsam of Europe. They take Gabriella, Oliver, and Leo prisoners. Act Two becomes a melodramatic hostage drama, with Edgar toting weightier issues than a mere art historical mystery. With an awkward switch in tone, the play becomes a heartfelt—and sermonizing—plea for tolerance for each individual refugee. It seems a long time before we ever get back to that painting.
The Barrow Group, under Seth Barrish's sharp direction, does Edgar proud in a production that is more vividly authentic than the 1995 London version. The colorful cast of 19 demonstrates a remarkable range of right-sounding accents. Gray, Lada, and Singer all impress, with strong support from Eliza Foss, Andrés Petersen, and Anjali Bhimani (stepping up from the smaller role of Tunu to play Yasmin at the performance caught). And Markas Henry's wonderfully detailed set makes a nicely symbolic refuge in the Barrow Group's new permanent home.