The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

If you fancy an off-Broadway experience this Spring, there’s no need to spend money on a flight to New York – a bus ride to the Burke Street Studio Theatre at Woolloongabba will do the trick. In their close-to-final production for 2022, the acting students from Griffith Uni’s Performing Arts course have a real hit on their hands. Stephen Adly Guirgis’s play was first directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman at New York’s Public Theatre in 2005. When the New Yorker penned his take on the trial of Judas Iscariot, he wouldn’t have known that, in just over a decade, the term ‘fake news’ would be coined, the media and its social second-cousin would be even more invasive, making his play much more resonant with our times. As the audience in this production, we are asked to take our seats as ‘jurors’ in the trial of Judas Iscariot, set in the hallowed halls of Purgatory.

With his background in musical theatre, dance and film, Director Timothy Hill is the perfect choice to shape this material for the Burke Street Studios stage. The action takes place as a stream of key witnesses are called to give evidence, cleverly presented as a mash-up of reality TV dramas (think Judge Judy and Jerry Springer) and recent shock-horror livestreamed courtroom events such as the deeply exposing case of Depp vs Heard. Live video feed, projected backdrops, rock ‘n’ roll costumes and great comic timing combine to give this show an edge, with suitable showcase moments for all its cast. While Guirgis’s script takes a little while to get going (well, given that the playwright has vehemently opposed any editing of his words, I’m not surprised that we get the full 3-hour treatment) but it finally takes off thanks to some fine on-target comic work from Stella Peterson as the angel Gloria and Emmy Moore, in superb form as Saint Monica.

There should be no religious offence (well, not much) because all the characters are treated as historical figures, and subjected to today’s media treatment. And I’m not even going to say anything about the offensive language – American drama has been overusing swearing for so long, I think we are all immune to its shock value. The cast bravely wade through the lurid lexicon to pull off some very clever characterisations. The courtroom drama holds its own with (in the production I saw) Ruby Gudenswager as the Judge and Jordan Stott as the Bailiff, with Georgia Faa and Mitchell Booth providing a very solid double act as legal counsel for the defence and prosecution. Both are on stage for the duration of the play and tackle these major roles extremely well. (This dynamic duo swaps for Isabella Berlese and Jordan Stott in alternate productions.)

Alexander Swanston makes a late appearance in the play as Judas and portrays the eponymous protagonist as a conflicted yardie bro’. He may have broken up the band that was the apostles, to tragic consequences – but was it premeditated? Or was his betrayal designed to stir Jesus to more urgent political action, as suggested by one of the trial’s witnesses? You can ponder the documentary facts after the event, because the script’s surreal style won’t leave you room to think, as witnesses are called to the stand. I thought Ethan Waters had a difficult task bringing Jesus of Nazareth to the stage, but he manages it brilliantly with sombre realism and not a hint of pastiche.

In a recurring appearance as Satan, Ellen Warner shows outstanding dramatic skill in what could have been a burlesque role.

Stella Peterson’s Pontius Pilate and Brendan Kater’s Uncle Pino are straight outta Goodfellas, Nathaniel Crossinggum’s Sigmund Freud continues the authentic New York comedy style, and Tyrone Crowe, Skye Fellman and Alexander Porteous adding a more realistic dramatic tone to balance the mix.

I’ve seen several productions featuring the acting class of 2022 – and I can see their confidence and stage craft building with each production – a testament to the efforts of their teachers and mentors, including Head of Performing Arts, Professor Paul Sabey. This is bravely chosen material and there’s no doubt that the performers could not have pulled off such a mature production without the strategic gradients of practice that previous productions have afforded them. (The whole team also collaborates on sets, props, costumes, make-up and sound.) This is a lively and accomplished production that entertains and puts the spotlight on some very talented performers. This is your chance to see them before they move out to stages and screens in, hopefully, a very busy post-graduate world of work for them all.

Beth Keehn

Photographer: Kenn Santos - PIF Productions