Donmar’s Temple is set in 2011 when Occupy protestors camped outside of St Paul’s Cathedral in the full glare of media attention. The focus of the play is the conflict within the church organisation.
There are some clear positions. The lawyer from the Corporation of London is clear that the protestors must be evicted. The Deacon is clear that the protestors must be supported. The Bishop is clear that the Church must protect its reputation. But the person in the centre, who is actually responsible, is not clear at all.
The Dean of St Paul’s, beautifully played by Simon Russell Beale, can only see the complexity of the situation. In an articulate and sometimes amusing style he shows his alienation from the simple views expressed to him and his overwhelming helplessness, and despair.
Leadership, he is told, is what’s needed. But the Dean, for whom the collective responsibility of the Chapter is both a cherished personal value and a way of life, has no meaningful or useful concept of such leadership.
This play is a character sketch, with the supporting cast illuminating the complexity of the main role. The political issues dealt with may be significant but it is the emotional impact of the conflict within Russell Beale’s Dean that makes this riveting entertainment.
Until 25 July