If good intentions made for good theater, “Prophecy” would be a master piece. Karen Malpede’s highly ambitious politically themed play incorporates, among other elements, the Old Testament story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar; the Greek tragedy “Antigone”; Middle East political tensions; and the devastating effects of not one but two wars, Iraq and Vietnam. Is it any wonder that you emerge exhausted?
The sprawling narrative is as unfocused as it is unconvincing. The central character is Sarah Golden (Kathleen Chalfant), an acting teacher whose emotionally troubled student, Jeremy (Brendan Donaldson), can’t get through a speech by Tiresias (the blind seer and staple of Greek tragedies) without lapsing into a fit.
Sarah is drawn to the young man because he reminds her of a past love who died in Vietnam; Jeremy’s angst stems from guilt over a horrific act he committed while serving in Iraq.
Meanwhile, through a series of confusingly presented flashbacks, we find that Sarah’s marriage to Alan (George Bartenieff), the leader of a refugee organization, was roiled by his earlier affair with his Lebanese secretary (Najla Said), who had his child.
Years later, the now-grown daughter (Said, again) re-enters her father’s life after moving to the Middle East and embracing Muslim fundamentalism.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of ideas here. But while the playwright resists lapsing into overt polemics, her characters too often seem carefully designed as archetypes to express social and political themes.
She also directed the show, which runs a self-indulgent and tedious 2½ hours.
Even such pros as Chalfant and Bartenieff are adrift here, although Peter Francis James has some funny moments as the unctuous head of the acting school, and Said — daughter of the late Palestinian author Edward — handles her diverse roles, including a sassy dance student, with skill.