'Joan' carries punch Shaw wanted

The Shaw Festival of Canada arrived for its Chicago debut well-armed and emerged victorious. Much of the firepower came from the engrossing "Saint Joan," George Bernard Shaw's drama about the rise and fall of the devout, young Frenchwoman who, claiming divine inspiration, led the French army's defeat of its English occupiers. Captured, condemned for heresy and burnt at the stake in 1431, she was exonerated several decades later and canonized in 1920. Shaw's play is a masterful commentary on faith, nationalism, the individual vs. the institution and the confrontation between the progressive impulse and the determination of the politically, socially and religiously entrenched to maintain the status quo. As theatrical weapons go, it's considerable. But the Shaw Festival arsenal boasts others, all of which contribute to a triumphant Chicago debut. Jackie Maxwell's inspired staging includes an ingenious reordering of the epilogue, partly refashioned as a prologue. In a production whose tone shifts gracefully from playful to tragic, Maxwell's direction is crisp, purposeful and, on occasion, magical. Designer Sue LePage's looming cathedrals against a scorched-earth backdrop and her muted World War I-inspired uniforms, along with Kevin Lamotte's subtly shifting lighting deserve commendation. The ensemble -- led by the beguiling Tara Rosling as the innocent, impulsive, unwaveringly faithful Joan -- is superb: Patrick Galligan, compelling as the calculating Earl of Warwick, an aristocrat who refuses to be usurped; Jeff Award winner Ben Carlson, nicely detached as his wary ecclesiastical ally Peter Cauchon; Harry Judge's whiny, comical Charles VII; Ric Reid's steely Inquisitor; and Peter Krantz, noteworthy as the officious Chaplain John de Stogumber undone by vengeance. The cast attack their roles with deliberation and precision with Rosling leading the charge.Rosling's intuitive performance embodies the charm, exuberance and pathos of this discreetly moving production. She's marvelous. Speaking with the breathless voice of a young girl, striding like a tomboy, radiating conviction and heroically embracing death when life means imprisonment, Rosling may be this show's most potent weapon. "Saint Joan" 3#189; starsout of fourLocation: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., ChicagoTimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays through Jan. 20Running Time: About two hours, 45 minutes, including intermission Tickets: $54, $70Parking: Validated parking in Navy Pier lotBox office: (312) 595-5600 or www.chicagoshakes.com Rating: For teens and older