“The Fundamentalist”, playing at Theater Lab (357 W 36th St., 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10018) through March 16, is a deep introspection into the life of Markus, played by John Hickok.
An initial encounter with Heidi, a student, brought to the stage by Claudia Godi, turns the life of Markus, a committed community priest, upside down. The two grow close until he gives in to the tension and makes a move on her, misinterpreting the young woman’s intentions. From that moment, the play picks up in a fast-paced fashion to cover the 20 years that follow. Through Markus’ stories, we learn that Heidi has converted into a religious extremist who finds refuge and answers in God. In reality, she hides a dark past that continues to haunt her that the priest does not always understand. Markus, on the other hand, has achieved notoriety through an essay on faith and humanity, which clashes with Heidi’s principles. The two find themselves confronting each other under the inquisitive eyes of onlookers, until the unspoken and suppressed emotions erupt.
The audience is drawn into Markus’ life through his diary, and becomes an active part of the performance when the protagonist, at various turns, sits with them to watch a scene from its pages, or questions them about what next steps to take, or the judgments his actions might trigger. Juha Jokela’s script and Jason Beckmann’s direction make each scene a distilled slice of everyday life, as the stark dialogue and simple set design strip the protagonists and their turmoil of any distractions. The result is an experience that draws the audience’s focus toward the central issues raised by Markus and Heidi’s relationship: the most intimate questions of the self, the meaning of faith and religiosity, and the value of ethics and morality.
