Grace, glory and the choices we make—a look at ‘The Price of Glory’

By Erin Newton, 21 years

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘glory’? Money? Fame? Relationship goals? And just how much are you willing to pay for it?

We all have a concept of glory built in our mind and it’s important not to get too caught up in it. The production ‘The Price of Glory’ has the power to give us a wake-up call to remind us about what’s important.

The production, which I had the pleasure of attending, written and directed by seminarian Jameke Brown, encompassed my favourite elements of theatre—acting, live music, and dance. I could see the attention paid to detail in every element, especially the costuming, set design and lights. Each character had a multifaceted backstory with complex relationships, resembling human nature itself.

We are those complex characters in our own lives and handed a dilemma of choices and consequences in each situation. However, not every choice is simple.

The play followed the story of a nuclear family: Anna (Sabrina Marks), Joachim (Krisson Joseph) and their three daughters: Maria (Celeste Pereira), Delilah (Caitlyn Lacaille), and Amanda (Zehira-Marie Nicholas).

It explored family dynamics and sibling interactions, and their personalities resembled quite a few people around me which reeled me into the storyline.

Maria and Delilah were also involved in romantic relationships, with Maria coupling with James (Malachi Boodoo) and Delilah with Leo (Taye Coryatt), who were both involved in criminal behaviour unbeknownst to their partners, which added another layer to the plot. Maria’s best friend, Tiffany (Myckhaila Joab), and her boyfriend Anthony (Jabarri Superville) were also significant members of the play.

The characters were relatable and represented us in a unique way. Sometimes we can be like Maria, struggling to choose the right thing because of the pressures we face. Sometimes, we could be like Delilah, striving to help others and speak truth, yet rejected and betrayed by those around us.

Other times, we can be like Anna, pursuing our strong wills, and praying for what we believe is best, trying to overstep God’s plan for ourselves and others. It is important to note, however, the right choice is ours and we are fully responsible for these choices.

Exploration of the themes ‘Grace’ and ‘Mercy’

Maria said to her younger sister, Amanda, “grace is getting what we don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting what we do deserve”. This phrase had such a lasting impact on me. And now, understanding mercy, it reminded me how important it is to show both mercy and grace to others. Giving others and ourselves grace and mercy doesn’t always have to be huge. By showing others grace and mercy, we share God’s love, through our own actions.

Kudos to the visual metaphors and set design

In this production, every prop and setting represented the inner state of those on stage. To me, the play felt like a secret message to decode, beyond the words and actions, again, making it like life itself.

In one of the early scenes, Anna and Joachim were conversing over folding clothes. The scene began with Anna singing with her full basket of laundry on the table in her living room.

Enter Joachim who compliments her and takes some clothes to the couch and begins folding them. This leads into conversation between the married couple. I like how it represents all the mundane tasks that we have—washing wares, cooking, grocery shopping, among others.

Yet, it was used as a bonding moment. The husband helps his wife, thus lightening her load, a beautifully painted picture of what family life could and should be like, which parallels the holy couple (Sts Joachim and Anne) that the playwright references.

Another crucial visual was that of the Bible vs the bottle. Maria struggles with her addiction to a certain drug. Multiple times, she is seen in the middle of her Bible and the bottle of pills. This critiques the choices in our ordinary lives. Maria chose the drugs repeatedly, the instant gratification with a negative impact. We all struggle with something, and it takes great strength to overcome this struggle. Our heavenly Father never gives us more than we can handle and is always there to give us the strength we need.

A moment for the music

Did I attend a concert or a play? The production incorporated music expertly, with each song driving the narrative forward. Most of the cast were vocally talented and thus, used this talent to enhance the play and its message through song.

Aside from the songs, the score also consisted of a leitmotif that was played on any appearance of Maria struggling with the drugs. (Leitmotif—an associated melodic phrase or figure that accompanies the reappearance of an idea, person, or situation).

It sounded like a series of repeated notes in a minor key sounding like “impending doom” and was played on the keyboard. It made the audience associate the sound with the bottle, so later, when Anna found the bottle in Maria’s absence, it was played again.

The play’s soundscape allowed the music to complement the acting and visuals, making the play take the holistic approach to theatre.

I can’t forget the dancers!

Dance—silent yet it speaks volumes. The dancers amazingly performed every routine in sync with the action at hand. They opened the show and were part of the closing scene. They were adept in their craft, and their movements were mesmerising to watch.

The dances were choreographed to visualise the music. Sometimes, the dancers would come on stage and perform silently, their movements portraying the thoughts of the characters.

When Anna and Joachim were arguing, the female dancer sat with her arms crossing her chest as though she were in a shell to represent Anna. The male dancer sat next to her, not touching her, representing Joachim.

During the song in which they made amends, the dancers followed suit, with the male dancer lifting the female dancer and dancing in sync, again visualising the relationship of Anna and Joachim.

‘The Price of Glory’ has taught me every choice has a consequence and there is a price that comes with glory. Sometimes the road to glory is one full of betrayal and mistrust, but only because of what that glory is. Keeping our eyes set on the Cross and Heaven should be our focus. To God, and God alone, be the glory.