Reviewer: Catherine Lloyd

Review

The Redemption of Fawler Mulrae: A One Act Drama in Two Scenes

By: M. Lennon Perricone

Hollow Hills Publishing

http://www.hollowhills.com

Can a youth who has committed an unprovoked act of violence ever really be reformed? When the nightly news is full of stories of violence for violence sake perpetuated by teen boys, we begin to question the possibility of reforming these youths. What good could there be in one so bad?

Fawler Mulrae was one of those boys. We meet him as an adult -now a successful role model to the boys at the school that had housed him as a young delinquent. Although he has the trappings of success - a beautiful wife, loving children and acclaim in his  career - Fawler is still haunted by the demons of his youth. He seeks to conquer those demons and redeem his violent past through his mentorship of a particularly gifted student, Speaks. But  Speaks suffers pain that Fawler's faith can't heal and tragedy drives Fawler to face who he once was and to seek forgiveness within himself.

The Redemption of Fawler Mulrae is a multi-layered examination of one man's struggle to know himself - to reconcile who he once was with who he is now. In Fawler, Perricone shows us ourselves,succeeding where many social dramas fail, by making us feel. We connect to these boys and to Fawler without excusing them.Which brings me to my one quibble - I wanted to know more about the young vicious Fawler and his transformation to the conscience-stricken man we meet. He is too compelling and complex a character to be drawn in a one-act play. But it's a minor criticism.

The Redemption of Fawler Mulrae is well written, intelligent, and above all, good drama, delivering what good theatre should - it makes us think and challenges our  comfortable view of how the world works. Highly recommended.