AT THE TRIPLEX: Ann Lee Makes Her Case for a New World

AT THE TRIPLEX: Ann Lee makes her case for a new world

Flesh fills up the screen in Mona Fastvold’s “The Testament of Ann Lee.” It dances, convulses, bleeds; gets caressed and assaulted; gives life, creates violence, and succumbs to death. It is a kinetic showcase for the vessels that we touch the world with, a celebration of the joy they bring and a damnation of the pain they cause. But while bodies hold life here, “The Testament of Ann Lee”—like its titular founder of the Shaker movement—has its f…

'The Testament of Ann Lee' review: Amanda Seyfried astounds in stirring, religious biopic

From the first musical moments of The Testament of Ann Lee, I was enraptured. Admittedly, I went in knowing nothing of its subject, an 18th-century religious figure who led the Shakers, a sect also known as the "Shaking Quakers" because of the physicality of their worship. However, the opening thrums of music and the graceful yet powerful thrust of bodies in an inexplicable dance number in a dark forest entranced me and made me eager to know mor…

The Testament of Ann Lee is redefining the musical

Mona Fastvold is the director of the buzzy new movie musical The Testament of Ann Lee, which is based on the true story of Ann Lee, the charismatic religious leader who brought the Shaker movement from England to the American Colonies. The film is getting rave reviews for Amanda Seyfried’s performance as Ann, and critics are saying it’s redefining what a musical can be. Mona joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the process of making th…