Peeter Raudsepp brings Agnes Dei to Rakvere Castle

John Pielmeier’s play Agnes Dei will premiere on October 9 at Rakvere Castle, with Rakvere Theatre artistic director Peeter Raudsepp directing, ERR reports.

The play follows a court-appointed psychiatrist who visits a convent to assess the mental health of Agnes, a young novice accused of murdering her newborn. The abbess tries to keep the doctor away from Agnes, deepening the psychiatrist’s suspicions. The questions of who killed the child and who was the father challenge conventional ideas about holiness and the ethics of medical intervention, while raising the possibility of a miracle in the modern world.

Raudsepp said the story, which initially appears to be a psychological thriller, reflects the era’s wider fears and hopes on a small scale. He asked whether knowledge and faith can coexist, whether the world is governed by evil and indifference or by love and devotion, and whether miracles happen that people do not yet have the words to describe.

The production will not tour other theatres and can be seen only at Rakvere Castle. The creative team includes set designer Reili Evart and lighting designer Kerdo Vainer. The cast features Ülle Lichtfeldt, Tiina Mälberg and Luisa Lõhmus.