CAST PH’s ‘Freud’s Last Session’ and The Greatest Debate That Never Happened
CAST PH’s ‘Freud’s Last Session’ and The Greatest Debate That Never Happened
Nelsito Gomez and Bart Guingona are C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud, respectively | Photo taken by Reamur R. David and posted in the official Facebook page of CAST PH
Speculation has long surrounded a supposed meeting between Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, and an unnamed Oxford professor shortly before his death. The lack of this person’s identity inspired Harvard physician Armand Nicholi to imagine a fictional debate between Freud and writer C.S. Lewis, two of the most influential yet ideologically opposed thinkers of the 20th century. Nicholi’s book, The Question of God, envisions this imagined encounter, tackling themes of faith, reason, and mortality amidst Freud’s last encounter with a devoted Oxford don.
This imagined encounter lends itself perfectly to a two-hander play, inspiring playwright Mark St. Germain to bring Freud and Lewis to life on stage in Freud’s Last Session. Now, for its fifth season of stage readings, the Company of Actors in Streamlined Theater (CAST) PH, in partnership with WHYNoT Manila, attempts to revive the debate that never happened, in the first installment of Theoria Omnium, a four-part series of stage readings held every Sunday from January 12 to February 2.
The title Theoria Omnium—Latin for “theory of everything”—suggests an ambitious exploration and connection of the fundamentals. And launching with a stage reading of Freud’s Last Session is a fitting thematic choice as it connects two rudimentary concepts: theology and technology. Even the play’s teaser highlights the perpetual clash between science and religion, embodied by its two protagonists using a collage of a galaxy and Jesus Christ. As Freud noted, humanity has long been divided into “believers” and “non-believers,” and there are no better representatives of these opposing sides than Freud himself and Lewis.
Having seen none of its theatrical staging until now, I can only compare this stage reading of Freud’s Last Session to its 2023 film counterpart by Matt Brown. Jaime Del Mundo, the original Freud and also the play’s director, was unfortunately absent due to illness, so Bart Guingona stepped in as his alternate. Guingona’s interpretation of Freud differs from Anthony Hopkins’ more true-to-life portrayal in the film. He added subtle humor, particularly during amusing exchanges with Lewis, which softened Freud’s otherwise stoic, meticulous, and prideful demeanor. Guingona’s impeccable German accent added authenticity, though his occasional stumbles and repetitions one can only hope is intentional, given Freud’s bout with oral cancer. On the other hand, Nelsito Gomez brought depth to his portrayal of C.S. Lewis, delivering a more believable and passionate performance compared to Matthew Goode’s film version. Gomez’s Lewis radiated fervor during his arguments for Christianity, embodying the real-life theologian’s conviction, even when the character’s defense for religion lacked any sense.
The play stays true to its source material, presenting a balanced debate between Freud’s atheism and Lewis’ devout Christianity. Both characters’ perspectives are shaped by their personal histories. Freud’s tragic loss of family members to illness, coupled with his harrowing escape from the Nazis, made him reject the idea of an omnipotent, benevolent God. His reasoning was persuasive, even for an agnostic like me. Freud’s critique of a God who allows suffering resonated deeply, echoing my own struggles with the loss of my loved ones. In contrast, Lewis’ arguments, while passionately delivered, felt less convincing. He relied heavily on the Bible and Christian theology, claiming superiority over other religions based on Christ’s divinity. While his points may not have swayed me, Gomez’s earnest delivery made his conviction admirable, even if Lewis ultimately failed to convert Freud in the end.
Despite religion being its main focus, death remained central to the play. Both Freud and Lewis narrowly escaped the hand of the Grim Reaper: the former from the Nazis in Vienna, and the latter as a soldier in World War I. Their differing stances on mortality were solidified by these experiences. Freud, even in his final moments battling cancer, clung to his rejection of religion, contemplating assisted suicide as a way to maintain control over his life. A stark contrast to Lewis, who sought to offer Freud faith as a path to hope and salvation. However, the characters found common ground during the false alarm bombing sequence, where both men panicked and reached for gas masks, exposing their shared fear of death despite their contrasting philosophical convictions.
The play also hinted at Freud and Lewis’ personal relationships albeit briefly. Freud’s controlling behavior toward his daughter Anna and Lewis’ implied romantic relationship with his friend’s mother Mrs. Moore hinted at unresolved emotional wounds for the two characters. These subplots, while intriguing, were wisely kept secondary, allowing the play to maintain its focus on the existential debate about God at its heart.
The minimalist set design—two orchestral music stands, a record table with radio and small vinyl collection, and a chair-turned-coat-hanger—emphasized the play’s oral poetic performance, which both Guingona and Gomez excelled at. The 360-degree seating at Karrivin Studios created an intimate atmosphere and spotlighted the performances right at the center. Both actors breathed so much life into their scripts so that at times I would close my eyes to immerse myself in the imagery their dialogues evoked.
CAST PH’s Freud’s Last Session successfully imagined a debate between two of the 20th century’s greatest minds, tackling life’s profound questions about religion, relationships, and death. With its barebones staging and sharp dialogue, this production demonstrated that even the simplest of setups can leave the audience pondering about the everlasting debate between faith and reason. And similar to Taylor Swift's the 1, maybe the greatest arguments of all time never really happened.
Catch CAST PH’s remaining three stage readings here.
