Miss Helen, played by the ever-luminous Rosemary Harris, is an elderly sculptor who lives a lonely existence in her home in the small Karoo Village of New Bethesda. She is an Afrikaner. Helen has withdrawn from churchgoing since the death of her husband. Now she is devoting her work to sculpturing pieces symbolizing her vision of Mecca and placing them outside her house, much to the annoyance of other villagers. We never get to see her artwork, only the meticulously constructed and realistically furnished home interior designed by Michael Yeargan, a dwelling without electricity and lit with candlelight. Helen is fearful of slipping into the darkness of old age and the threat of losing her independence. (Fugard has modeled the character after the late real-life artist Helen Martins.)

Visiting Helen after an arduous 12-hour drive just for an overnight stay is a young friend and teacher, Elsa Barlow, an English South African, skillfully played with flair and sometimes irritability by Carla Gugino. Elsa is responding to Helen’s concerns and has a mission that becomes clear in the second act. But she also has her own frustrations, unhappiness and self-doubts. The conversation between the women in the first act allows us to get to know them and some of their concerns, but one can become impatient as nothing much happens.

Entering the picture is Marius Byleveld, an Afrikaner clergyman who comes to visit Helen and pressures her to sign a paper agreeing to go into an old-age home that is run by his church. A place has opened up and he informs her that to reserve it she must sign immediately. There is an issue at stake beyond her decision. Byleveld is a conservative wedded to old values. Helen’s independence in her art and her manner of living runs counter to his beliefs. If she would agree to go into the home it would be in a sense surrender. Thus the ideas of the right to preserve individuality and freedom in general are subtly on the table.

But it is not without some reason that Helen is seen as a candidate for the home, as we ultimately learn. What develops is a battle between the feisty and liberal Elsa, who wants Helen to assert her independence and remain on her own, and Byleveld, who likes Helen and sees himself as rescuing her. It falls to Helen to make her own decision that evening, and it falls to Harris to involve us emotionally with her remarkable performance that demonstrates why she remains one of our finest actresses.

Jim Dale as Byleveld is in peak form with a performance that is both nuanced and strong. He gives the play an immediate lift when he arrives and makes his character thoroughly convincing and very human despite his philosophical rigidity. He has a broad range, and is remembered for “Barnum” as well as being noted for doing the voices in the “Harry Potter” audio books. This is a very special turn for him as a major force in capturing the most out of Fugard’s play.