A story of St Augustine of Canterbury, Precarious Theatre’s Conversion seeks to convert us all at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre
“It is a moist and dim land”
It has to be said you don’t get many plays set in the Dark Ages so for that alone, the folks of Precarious Theatre deserve a look with their new play Conversion. Inspired by historical events, insofar as the historical record for that era exists, writers Marco Biasoli and Liam Grogan spin a tale around St Augustine of Canterbury, a favourite son of the Vatican commissioned by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the English to Christianity, only to find on his arrival that those ages aren’t necessarily as dark as advertised.
Conversion begins as a fascinating look at a pre-medieval society through the eyes of a would-be coloniser, Augustine rocking up for this great mission but finding that Christianity has already been introduced to England. What he further discovers is a different way of life to the cloistered one he has led thus far, including a wayward royal family, bureaucrats with dubious moral, some people always on the take and others motivated to build a meaningful sense of community, whether through God or theatre.
Biasoli and Grogan’s intent is clear, to suggest that 6th century society isn’t necessarily as far removed from contemporary life as we might think and through its collection of interestingly drawn characters, the play emerges as a dramatically heftier piece than one might have expected from something self-described as a hilarious comedy. And with a tendency towards more philosophical musings, we lack a touch of the narrative propulsion needed to power through 90 minutes without an interval.
Grogan also directs, leaning on an English folk aesthetic to mixed results (somewhat dependent on how you feel about morris dancing…). The large crucifix of George Bennett’s set design is undeniably impactful but the bunting spinning off from it is unwieldly and far too distractingly perilous for everyone navigating in, around and under it. Similarly, the detail of the folk-themed costuming pulls focus even as crowns, mitres and cloaks are variously donned to enable the company to multi-role smoothly.
Conversion thus feels interesting rather than fully intriguing, a world of characters without quite enough to do in the confines of this play but full of potential for further, more dramatic exploration.
