AN AGNOSTIC’S HELL
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The first thing to notice about Vincent Balestri’s work in An Agnostic’s Hell is its unassuming simplicity. The stage has the sparse, functional, yet comfortable feel of a bachelor’s apartment. Two black sheets are spread out on either side of the stage. On one is a foam cushion with a rust-colored sheet taped to the middle; at each corner of the other are four folded sheets of different colors. In the middle is a foam wedge covered in a black sheet. The set’s not ugly, but it’s not good-looking either. It’s just there.
Balestri inhabits a metaphysical world, traveling through three realms labeled “death, the search, and illumination.” His journey is guided by “God-Guide-Guy” (Drew). It’s an intellectual trip, a wondering, anxious look into the void created by the absence of set religious beliefs. The two either speak pages of poetic verse or communicate in one-word sentences. Their movements are stylized; their purpose isn’t always clear to the audience, though it seems clear to Balestri and Drew. There’s a profound simplicity to this piece. In the absence of religion, Balestri creates his own. It’s as if we’re witness to a deeply personal ritual, one in which the participants are unaware that they’re being watched.
