A Case for the Existence of God - Seymour Centre (NSW)
Presented by Outhouse Theatre Co and Seymour Centre, play written by Samuel D. Hunter.
Reviewed by Chanele Mao
Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre
Season 11 April – 4 May 2024
What does harrowing mean? From the writer of the Academy Award winning film, The Whale, comes a tale of humility, resilience, and brotherhood.
A Case for the Existence of God is story about faith, hope, fatherhood, and a theatrical - bromance. Unlike the Hollywood variety of bromances, where the male characters display brotherly love and on-screen camaraderie, Ryan (Anthony Gooley) and Keith (Elijah Williams) are two unlikely friends who meet later in life, both single dads who find themselves at a particular juncture where each is struggling with life’s brokenness and challenges.
God is a two-hander play set in Twin Falls, Idaho. From outward appearances, Ryan and Keith could not be any further apart in the social divide – Ryan is a white, uneducated, plant worker, a recent divorcé with a 15 month daughter, looking for a loan, and Keith is a gay, black, well-to-do, finance professional mortgage broker, and a foster parent to an orphan. However, their pasts entwine with the present and the two men find connection, frustration and bewilderment in the US financial system that keeps people in their places both financially and socially.
A Case for the Existence of God, Seymour Centre 2024. Images: Philip Erbacher
It was rare to see a play where two male characters bond, debate, argue and cry over their shared challenges in life. It is an intimate play about the struggles we all face, whether it is securing a mortgage from poor credit scores, or being a new parent, worrying about whether your kid is safe at school. It was touching and heart-warming to see how much the single dads care about their child and their child’s wellbeing. Gooley and Williams show us a slice of what it means to be human and our in-built desire to seek connection, confirmation and companionship.
The spirit of humility, resilience and brotherhood is a joy to watch, as are the conversations and natural humour between our male leads.
Veronique Benett’s set consisted of a square cubicle box - Keith’s office. We saw Keith’s L-shaped office desk, chair, filing cabinet, laptop, and a chair next to his desk for his client, Ryan. For most the play, both characters are seated, and they move through various scenes that depict their budding relationship. First as mortgage broker and client, then moving onto two single dads bonding over their daughters, and sharing the highs and lows of life. The choral music in the background (Craig Baldwin) added to the ambience of the show, it was as if angels sung in harmony from heavenly gates.
God is a thought-provoking play that cuts through the everyday struggles of being a single parent, a father and shows us that good things can come out of poor things just as a phoenix can rise out from the ashes. The spirit of humility, resilience and brotherhood is a joy to watch, as are the conversations and natural humour between our male leads. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Can a single parent be successful in raising a child? Be sure to see it at the Seymour Centre!
Cast and Creatives
Keith - Elijah Williams and Ryan - Anthony Gooley
Playwright Samuel D. Hunter
Director Craig Baldwin
Producer Jeremy Waters
Stage Manager Cindy Cavero
Set & Lighting Design Veronique Benett
Sound Composition & Design Craig Baldwin
Costume Design Jeremy Waters
Dialect Coach Linda Nicolls- Gidley
The show runs for approximately 90 minutes with no interval.
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