‘The Cure’ Convincingly Blends Religious Beliefs, Mystical Practices

The world of faith healers and religious rituals is far removed from most people’s lives, and in Stephen Legawiec’s intriguing one-hour drama “The Cure,” the unintelligible, foreign-sounding language that dominates the dialogue builds another barrier. In less skillful hands, this might prove alienating, but here it enriches the mystical qualities of the presentation.

The Gilgamesh Theatre has chosen a large meeting room at the Hollywood United Methodist Church for this performance and the ambience works well. The audience enters a large room to see a young girl (Zeidy Martinez) lying on a table at the center. Dressed in flowing white clothes and partly covered by a sheet, she’s apparently healthy, but a man, her father (Michael Klock), mournfully embraces her, unable to awaken his sleeping child.

Three people (Tim Ottman, Dawn Saito, Lyena Strelkoff) come in, assessing the situation, and wait for a fourth, the apparent leader (Naila Azad). The father anxiously realizes that none speaks or understands any more English than “OK.”

Once the lights are dimmed, the crackling fire in the hearth and the glow of half a dozen lighted votive candles create an atmosphere of spiritual anticipation. The well-practiced quartet moves quickly and confidently. Almost dancing with a lyrical grace, they chant and sing.

The father watches with growing concern until the final tragic ending.

Ottman, Saito, Strelkoff and Azad all convincingly express the total committed ardor of healing practitioners and the emotional and physical strain of the exorcism that takes place.

Under Legawiec’s direction, the beauty of the choreography and the clarity of the motives make this drama an absorbing experiment of sound, movement and feeling.

BE THERE

“The Cure,” Gilgamesh Theatre at Hollywood United Methodist Church, 6817 Franklin Ave., Hollywood. Fridays-Saturdays, 9 p.m. Ends Oct. 17. $8. (213) 850-1055. Running time: 1 hour.