If anyone laughs at the wrong moment in Scott Cameron’s Black Spring, the whole structure could come crashing down. This is not because the play takes itself too seriously, but rather its success depends upon conveying a rock-hard sense of belief.
In 1899, Arthur Abbott (Hector Macduff) mourns the passing of his father, who was such a charismatic preacher, his parishioners are convinced only his son is entitled to take over his parish. This is bad news for the ambitious Father Brennan (Anthony Lally) who covets the role. Arthur, however, doubts his vocation with such an intensity it has begun to affect his mental health rendering him sexually impotent. His wife Mary (Eilidh Pollard), whilst dutiful, is deeply spiritual, and while she might not actually see dead people, she senses their presence, which distracts Arthur even more.
The return of Mary’s brother Silas Clarke (writer-director Scott Cameron) acts as a catalyst. Student of the occult Silas has returned from visiting Europe where an encounter at a Black Spring proved to be a life-changing experience. Silas has a fractious relationship with Father Brennan (who, he points out, is descended from a family of witchfinders) and addresses Arthur’s doubts, directly offering an alternate system of belief.
A fringe budget will not stretch to supernatural effects (although Scott Cameron physically suggests demonic possession with a tremendous body contortion that almost pulls his arm out of his shoulder socket and must hurt like blazes). Instead, director Cameron sets a mood of solemnity in which spiritual topics and faith are debated earnestly. The script follows the approach, having a decidedly old-fashioned tone without contractions (‘’do not’’ instead of ‘’don’t’’). The tone is so effective, the appearance of a character soaked in blood does not provoke giggles, nervous or otherwise.
Anthony Lally plays the closest to a traditional villain in the play making Father Brennan a bully, but Hector Macduff and Eilidh Pollard are stuck with having to be tormented and unhappy as the latter’s psychic abilities are not explored in depth. But all cast members bring the necessary gravity to give the impression a subject which strains credibility deserves to be taken seriously.
Cameron gives a tremendously creepy performance as a libertine who has pushed his luck too far and disturbed something that should have been left alone. It is a highly physical performance, hunched and twitchy as if shielding himself from an attack. Cameron recalls Leonard Rossiter or even a young version of Albert Steptoe.
Unusually, the script allows equal room for both Christian and occult viewpoints to be explored. Rather than just state the cliché "do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law", Silas explains the dark attraction of the occult to Arthur in a persuasive, even seductive manner.
Black Spring is the first production from The Halcyon Room and a remarkable achievement in communicating uncomfortable and fantastic concepts in a grave manner which invites thoughtful consideration rather than ridicule from the audience to make for a surprisingly engaging play.