Bill Donohue comments on “Doubtless,” a play by Albert Innaurato; it is being performed in New York City:
“Doubtless” started August 4 and it closes August 30. It is easy to ignore—the theatre has 98 seats—but given that Innaurato has solid credentials, we decided to address his latest attack on the Catholic Church.
The play’s name is a rip-off of the John Patrick Shanley play, “Doubt.” That play, which ran between 2004 and 2006, was adapted for the screen, starring Meryl Streep. It featured a controversial priest and a reverent nun (played by Streep). Because there was nothing anti-Catholic about it, we never addressed it. But “Doubtless,” which pointedly attacks “Doubt,” goes out of its way to offend.
The audience is introduced to sexually-romping priests, an Opus Dei orgy, foul-mouthed nuns, sisters who get it on, and a vampire played by Jesus. Though the play has been panned by critics, the open-minded folks at the New York Times did so because of its artistic weaknesses, not its bigotry. “Her [a nun’s] vulgar language is fine, really. It’s the ranting she’d do better to stop,” writes Laura Collins-Hughes. Thanks for the tip, really.
Like so many playwrights who attack Catholicism, Innaurato is acting out his own deep-seated problems: he is an ex-Catholic homosexual. When he was at Yale many moons ago, he befriended Christopher Durang, another ex-Catholic homosexual anti-Catholic. Together, they starred in performances “Dressed as priests they played women in summer stock.” How lovely.
I have only one comment to make: Just imagine what the people look like who go to see this stuff.
