Bagley Wright Theatre Equivocation Written by Bill Cain Directed by Bill Rauch November 18 - December 13, 2009 Running Time: 2 hours and 55 minutes with one intermission
In William Shakespeare’s England, religious strife was the order of the day. At the time of Equivocation (1606), The Church of England had split with the Vatican. Protestants were in power, and Catholics were barred from taking public office or office within the church.
Frustrated by years of religious oppression, a group of English Catholics attempted the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to kill King James and most of the Protestant aristocracy by blowing up the Houses of Parliament on November 5, 1605.
In Equivocation, King James wants Shakespeare to write a play about the Gunpowder Plot. But as Shakespeare begins to dig into what really happened, he uncovers some surprising truths, including the role of Jesuit priests. In the play, Father Henry Garnet is a Jesuit priest arrested on charges that he knew about the Gunpowder Plot, but did nothing to stop it. History as well as Equivocation notes him for writing a pamphlet called A Treatise of Equivocation, which counseled priests in the art of equivocating.
The history of the Jesuits and the trials that they endured in defense of their faith is a topic particularly poignant for playwright Bill Cain, who is a Jesuit priest himself.
We spoke with local theatre artist and artistic director for the theatre company Deus X Machina, Father Jack Bentz. Bentz, like Cain, brings his skills as a dramatist and storyteller to his duties as a Jesuit priest, continuing a tradition of humanism, education, and appreciation for the arts that the Jesuits and trace back to their formation during the Renaissance.
The Society of Jesus, better known as The Jesuits, are a religious order within the Catholic church, representing one swath of the broader spectrum of Christianity present within the church. “Christians are going along, and someone may have a rich experience with God, and out of that, they are inspired to follow the gospels in a particular way,” explained Bentz.
Early Jesuits were active in many aspects of life in the Catholic Church at the time of their formation. Many Jesuits found their calling in missionary work, traveling throughout Europe and Asia. Still others stayed closer to home, tending to the spiritual needs of the church, which at the time were many. “The church was in need of reform,” said Bentz. “It was a complete mess, and the Jesuits did a lot of work with the reforms.”
As these reforms were occurring in Europe, England was going through its own redefinition of what Christianity was. “It was a long process,” said Bentz, and one that had as much to do with politics as religion. In the early 16th century, Henry VIII was excommunicated from the Catholic Church after annulling his first marriage. This schism grew into a political power struggle that would rage for decades as Henry dissolved monasteries throughout England, removed the Church of England from the authority of the Pope, and was ultimately made Supreme head of the Church of England.
But though Catholicism found itself under fire in England, it was far from wiped out. After the dissolution of the monasteries, its adherents and practices were forced underground. English Catholics were required to publicly swear oaths of allegiance to the Church of England. Those who refused to take these oaths were often tortured and executed. Amid the turmoil and persecution of the time, Jesuit priests were among the only Catholic clergy to remain in England, delivering masses and striving to maintain a presence for the Church even at the risk of their own lives.
“After all Catholic clergy had been expelled from England, the Jesuits continued to try and serve the Catholic family there,” said Bentz.
For their troubles, Jesuit priests such as John Ballard, Edmund Campion and Equivocation’s Henry Garnet found themselves charged with crimes against the state and implicated in plots to overthrow the crown. It is against the backdrop of this decades-long religious struggle, during which many Jesuits were executed, that the action of Equivocation takes place. The situation is one that is especially personal to playwright Bill Cain, who brings a finely honed understanding of the history of his order to the stage in Equivocation.
Today, the Jesuits are probably best known for their contributions to education throughout the years (Seattle University was founded by Jesuits). “Our foundational desire was to help souls, which is pretty broad,” said Bentz. “It became clear that there was a huge need for education, and we continued doing that.” Jesuit educational institutions have become known worldwide for the quality of the religious and secular education they provide, as well as the emphasis they place on integrating faith and education.
For Father Bentz, it is simply the opportunity to serve God and the church in a variety of ways that drew him to become a Jesuit. “The Jesuits understand that God creates the world and creates all of us with our talents and desires,” said Bentz. “The reason I joined the Jesuits is because it gives me a wider scope.”
