Sacred Hearts

Cecily M. Barrie is a senior drama student at Mount St. Vincent
University in Halifax.

Sacred Hearts is a realistic and humorous exploration of the
consequences of being “chosen” for a miracle and also of the role of
women in the modern Roman Catholic church. Set in small-town Canada, the
play focuses on Bridget, an intelligent and faithful woman who has a
mystical experience at the local shrine to the Virgin Mary. The
resulting thematic conflict emerges as Curran juxtaposes common,
idealistic assumptions about miracles with the all too-human reality of
the Miracle Business. It is a “modern parable” about personal faith
in a contemporary church where the priest is less like Bing Crosby and
more like a media-wise political activist, and where questions about
abortion versus adoption, lapsed Catholic versus pilgrim, and annulment
versus divorce abound.

The characters are well developed and fluently revealed throughout the
play. Bridget’s character is an unconventional mix, yet she fits the
picture of a modern, questioning Roman Catholic woman very well. Tim and
Violet provide humorous counterpoint, yet are real and sympathetic as
each manipulates “The Miracle” for different reasons. The 22 scenes
in the two acts move smoothly to good closure and also include some
diversity, while the dialogue is well paced. Several forms of humor
gently lighten the serious theme: dialogue overlap, witty exchange,
sarcasm, physical humor, comic imagery, wordplay involving
“miracle,” and puns are all used, without being sharply or awkwardly
introduced. (Such refinements may be the result of periodic
workshopping.) There are several religious allusions that both Roman
Catholics and others should appreciate. However, the symbolism of
Bridget as shepherdess, which is even noted in dialogue, is perhaps
gratuitous.

Sacred Hearts is an autobiographical, thoughtful, mature play that
offers an authentic and humorous commentary on the modern call to faith.