On a trip to New York City for the American Theatre Critics Association conference, my wife/editor Karin and I caught four wildly different plays at four wildly different venues.

First was a trip Off-Off-Broadway to the Theater for the New City, which has been offering a home for experimental theater for over 50 years in an earthy, multi-stage facility in the East Village. Playwright Douglas Lackey and Director Alexander Harrington have forged several collaborations, with this most recent one being the highly literate and entertaining world premiere of “Spies for the Pope.”

History is full of characters and stories that have been largely lost to time, and this is one example that the author has unearthed and embellished. Giulio Casare Vanini was a Capuchin friar who was charged by Pope Paul V in 1618 to try to fend off an international conflict that threatened to occur among many European powers, most notably the Holy Roman Empire and France. Since this story pertains to history, it is no spoiler to disclose that Vanini failed, and the result was the highly destructive 30 Years War. And as articulated in the play, this abomination derived from pathetic little differences in religious beliefs and royal family-based tribalism.

Lackey tells the tale in 23 scenes as Vanini and his associate Brother Markus cross many borders and meet with numerous dignitaries critical to international diplomacy. The script is extremely well researched and delights with copious details of political machinations, but an equally important and extremely well articulated thread involves arguments over religious theory. Vanini is a deep and free thinker and even though he devoutly believes in God, the fact that he doesn’t accept specious arguments in the received wisdom of The Church becomes his undoing.

The action moves briskly, which keeps things lively, but at times can seem a little jumpy. More distracting are the tedious if minor set changes that occur with each shift in venue, as they disrupt the flow of the narrative. On the other hand, period music excerpts of various ilks from opera arias to madrigals are used throughout, using both live singing and piped music. They blend well and enrich in an organic manner rather than delay the action.

Eric Loscheider portrays Vanini in a confident and believable manner. If the real friar were half as convincing as the actor, one wonders how he would ever have lost an argument. Other performances are generally but not uniformly effective, and a little confusion derives from actors playing multiple parts. That said, this is an entertaining, intellectual piece priced at a pittance, that offers fine value.

“Spies for the Pope,” is written by Douglas Lackey, produced by Theater for the New City, and plays on its stage at 155 First Avenue, New York, NY through November 26, 2023.