Freud’s Last Session

Event: “Freud’s Last Session” by Blank Space Theatre (an Esplanade Presents series : “The Studios”)
Venue: Esplanade Theatre Studio
Run: 11 April  to 15 April 2012
Written by: Mark St. Germain (suggested by “The Question of God” by Dr. Armand M. Nicholl Jr.)
Directed by: Samantha Scott-Blackhall
Cast: Matt Grey (as Sigmund Freud) and Daniel York (as C.S. Lewis)

What happens when two intellectually sound men in the form of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis meet and converse? One an atheist, and the other, an atheist turned Christian? What you get is a witty debate as the two men expound on the age old argument on the existence of God as each tries to convince each other on their point of view, which is the premise of this play.

The arguments (i.e. the script) were presented very logically, with a touch of subtlety, not excluding some witty humour when each got the upper hand at times and the contradictions they find themselves caught in. Contradictions of habits. I liked the script. Smart. I liked the way it was peppered with facts and quotes from each writer’s books. And it was brought forth very nicely by the actors, and Matt did a good job with the accent. They had done some research on the books written by Freud and Lewis and that makes it all the more convincing.

Then you have the sets, which was meant to be a re-creation of Freud’s study. The detail and effort, down to the lighting from day to night were great. The whole setup felt a little surreal, like one was peering into the two men’s mind, yet there was that constant humming at the background with the signs of the impending war, and the occasional radio broadcast, which as Matt (or was it Daniel?) said was like a conduit to the outside world.

But as expected, it was a “safe” ending, where the debate could go on and on. It was pretty abrupt though with Lewis leaving like that, like it was unfinished. Ah, but the ending ‘joke’ about the pastor and the insurance agent. Taking it many ways, who had convinced who, or not? If you have faith and believe in the existence of God, you would believe you are fully insured. If not, then…

I’ve been meaning to read Freud’s work for some time, and also C.S. Lewis’ non-Narnian writings. I guess now I’m reminded and motivated once more to do so. I still don’t get the train joke though.