God

The woman on stage is quiet, dignified, looking healthy, and sounding articulate and rational. At 55, Rachel Gärtner is too young to be describing her life as being over, but since her husband’s death, she no longer wishes to live. She is here before the German Ethics Council, pleading her case that she be prescribed phenobarbital with which she will bring about her own death. This play allows the audience to play God, as it were, by casting a vote on whether the state should assist Ms Gärtner to, prematurely but peacefully, die.

The script engages audiences in a deep legal, historical and moral exploration of the issues surrounding voluntary euthanasia. God is set in Germany, covering that country’s byzantine history of contradictory legal amendments and constitutional rights, leading to vague and frankly absurd interpretations of the law. The collective memory of Nazism and its use of euthanasia arguments to justify mass murder hangs over the proceedings. But while the culture and legal minutiae are specific to that country, the guts of the matter are universal—if a person is suicidal, is it fair to deny them the means to a peaceful death? Or conversely, is it moral to provide the means to a peaceful death to a person if there is the possibility that they could recover from being suicidal and go on to lead a happy life afterwards?

Lexi Sekuless directs with tight precision and sensitivity, combining stylised design elements with fully fleshed, hyperreal characters, breaking the moral argument with slice-of-life mimed pastiches which invoke humanity, illustrating the tragedies that underly the dry, legal discussion. The performances range from very good to exceptional, most with vocal cadences so natural that they feel spontaneous.

Heidi Silberman imbues Rachel Gärtner with an air of reserve and determination. Although palpably reluctant to air her private circumstances, she articulates her case plainly, with resolve and for the large part without huge displays of emotion. Three expert witnesses then talk through the case from their area of knowledge, each bringing with them strongly held personal opinions. Helen MacFarlane as ethicist Professor Litten guides the audience through discussion of confusing historical legislative changes and their consequences, engaging the audience with her passion for the subject. Timmy Sekuless as the awkward Doctor Sperling and James Moody as the occasionally bemused committee chair both inject some humour. Alana Denham-Preston as Ms Gärtner’s lawyer Ms Biegler, and Maxine Beaumont as Dr Keller vigorously interrogate the experts promoting the case for and against.

The crux of the play comes with an exchange between Bishop Theil (Richard Manning) and Ms Gärtner’s lawyer Ms Biegler (Alana Denham-Preston). Having  been backed into a rhetorical corner by Ms Biegler, the bishop stops quoting the bible and biblical scholars and instead relates a beautiful, heart-wrenching anecdote. All of the against arguments, some specious, some irrelevant, some far broader than the specific instance in question, boil down to this one exquisitely-acted powerful, clarifying moment.

Director Sekuless’s attention to detail can be seen in the coherence in all aspects of the design. The walls of the committee room are a cool light blue which evokes both a clinical setting but are also on a shade gradient like the sky, a nod to the traditional position of God. The costumes however are shades of brown and orange, a reminder that while the Committee is playing God, they are of the Earth. The sound and lighting designs are used to take the viewer out of the committee room and to illuminate mimed scenes of tragedy, giving the audience a visual to match the dialogue. These work well in the main, although one was a little ambiguous and therefore confusing.

Only a month ago, the ACT Government enacted legislation to allow Canberrans to access voluntary assisted dying. The Mill Theatre’s thought provoking and satisfying production of God is relevant and timely.

Cathy Bannister

Photographer: Daniel Abroguena.