The mysterious Gabriel at North Coast Rep

By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel

SOLANA BEACH, California — Last December  I reviewed the movie Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society on this website.  It  took place on England’s Guernsey and Channel  islands just off  the coast of France during World War II .   I learned then that Winston Churchill considered these  islands  indefensible and removed all its armaments to avoid bombing  by the Germans and loss of resident lives.

The  islands were occupied for five years  by the Germans, probably thinking  it would be a jumping off place to invade England,  which of course never happened, and was the only part of the United Kingdom that Germany ever held.

Last Sunday afternoon, I  found myself  back  again on Guernsey  island viewing  Gabriel  at the North Coast Rep.   This story is  a  far more complex drama than the movie.  It  also tells  how  the Guernsey citizens  struggled  for survival under the  German occupation.   They  had to trade  for food on the black market , and lived under constant fear  for their liberty and lives . Although  not mentioned in Gabriel, most of the  island’s Jews had left for  England before the invasion. The few remaining Jews were hidden , and  unfortunately some were caught  and  murdered in  Auschwitz .

The play  begins  with the startling discovery  of an unconscious  naked  young man  washed up  on a Guernsey  Island beach. He is rescued  by three women living nearby: Estelle, Lilly and Lake carry the  tall handsome young man to their house  and nurse him back to consciousness.   Their house  is  a rickety shack, as their original home was commandeered by the  Germans.  Gabriel has amnesia,  no recollection of his name , background  or  how he was washed up on the  shore .  Lilly   (a sensitive portrayal by Lilly Passero) takes special care of Gabriel  along with Estelle (a very talented, 11 year old Catalina Zelles) and Lake.  The  sarcastic  maid, Lake, (Annabella Price) fits her role perfectly.  Since the young  man cannot  remember his name, Estelle calls him Gabriel  (one of the three archangels  mentioned in the Bible).

Lilly helps Gabriel (Alan Littlehales)  into the bedroom, and  just  a few minutes later, the door  opens and the very  tall  and imposing  Major Von Pflanz in full uniform enters with Jeanne, the owner of the shack.   Jeanne had been dating the Major’s predecessors, Von Pflanz would like to step into more than his shoes. Jeanne  (a stunning performance by Jessica John ) is beautiful , sexy and bitter , but maneuvers  the major well.   (Richard Baird  as the Major is a show stopper. )

The relationship between Lily and her mother-in-law  Jeanne is strained, so  Lilly seeks  comfort  in helping Gabriel, who in spite of his memory loss  is very gentle.  Surprisingly , Lilly’s Jewish identity is revealed to the Major, and  performers are frozen  in place for a moment in  silence and fear.  Jeanne tries to cover the situation and  offers herself sexually  to the major  in exchange  for his protection.

Somehow, various  layers  and  twisting threads of the story came together with a dramatic ending .  It’s worth seeing Gabriel  in person  to witness how the play  is resolved, (what a teaser !) and  I’m certain  you will  give  the  outstanding performers  a standing ovation.   Gabriel is scheduled to run until March 17 , unless extended.

Special kudos to British playwright, Moira Buffing for Gabriel, which had its London premiere in 1997, and opened Off Broadway in 2010.  Christopher Williams’  direction did credit to  the playwright with challenging  staging on a relatively small stage.  Kudos to set designer Marty  Burnett for realistically portraying  the dismal shack Jeanne and her family had to live in  since the invasion.  Kudos to  costume designer Elisa Benzoni for  preserving  the era on Guernsey island.  Stage manager , Light and Sound  designers  deserve special mention as well.   The Major and Gabriel spoke  to each other for a few minutes  in very convincing German  thanks to  Victoria Hamlin, the dialect coach.  What?  Gabriel can speak German as well as English?  His mysterious background persisted to the very end of the play.

Although  the play  was a bit long , running three hours including the intermission,  it  was warmly received  by a packed house.  It might be advisable  however  for playwrights  to heed the adage,  “The mind can  only  absorb what the bottom can endure!”

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Merel, cantor emeritus of Temple Beth Israel, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via sheldon.merel@sdjewishworld.com