Theater at its most basic is about language and ideas. That is well illustrated by Mark St. Germain’s two-character debate play, Freud’s Last Session, a fictional meeting of the minds between Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis and a staunch atheist, and C.S. Lewis, a recent convert to Christianity who would later become a renowned religious philosopher and writer of such allegorical works as the Chronicles of Narnia series.

Suggested by Dr. Armand Nicholi’s book, The Question of God, the play shapes the two learned men’s words into a contentious conversation over the existence of a deity, as well as the nature of good and evil, the value of sex and the very meaning of life.

Considering the subjects they tackle, it is hardly surprising that no conclusions are reached, but it is sufficient that their exchanges bristle with intelligence and more than a little humor, spurring theatergoers to question their own views on these heady issues.

If any area stage company were to present Freud’s Last Session, surely it would be Palm Beach Dramaworks. "Theater to think about," indeed. In fact, the group hosted St. Germain and his play two years ago with a handful of developmental readings as it was inching toward off-Broadway, where a separate production is still running after five months.

Artistic director William Hayes is well-suited to helm the play in its Southeastern premiere here, for he knows to focus on the words, while taking care that this matchup does not seem static. That effort is helped considerably by a pair of nimble verbal jousters – Dennis Creaghan (Freud) and Chris Oden (Lewis).

The two men meet on an auspicious day in September 1939, as England is drawn into World War II. From his London consulting room, Freud and Lewis hear the blare of air raid sirens and squadrons of planes flying overhead, ominous sounds that intensify their discussion. Surmising the devastation that lies ahead, Freud takes perverse comfort in the realization that he will miss much of it, for he is ravaged by a mouth cancer that has eroded the roof of his mouth. He talks of ending his life, which he will do a mere three weeks later.

Unspoken is why he summoned young Lewis, but we have to assume that he yearns to be convinced of God’s existence, to have the sort of epiphany that Lewis recently experienced. Nevertheless, he proves a wily, competitive debater, giving no indication of a willingness to lose. Of the few joys left in his life, a spirited mental workout like this is something he savors.

Creaghan demonstrates why he is one of South Florida’s most versatile performers, disappearing behind Freud’s snowy beard and Viennese accent, while offering a compelling portrait of one of the most revolutionary thinkers of the 20th century.

Oden, who played Heisenberg in last season’s Copenhagen, emphasizes the reverence that Lewis has for Freud, attacking his nihilistic view of the world with respect and a bit of sadness. Together, they are fascinating, parrying and thrusting verbally, picking apart each other’s arguments with surgical precision.

Michael Amico contributes another visually intriguing, detailed set in which the analyst’s couch is a central focus. Adding to the period feel is the formality of the two men’s attire by Brian O’Keefe and Matt Corey’s soundscape.

Freud’s Last Session runs only 70 minutes, but each one is densely packed with ideas worth mulling, served up by a pair of actors who make the time spent with these two towering figures seem even shorter.

R E V I E W

Freud’s Last Session

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Where: Palm Beach Dramaworks, 322 Banyan Blvd., West Palm Beach.

When: Through Feb. 6.

Tickets: $47. Call: (561) 514-4042.

The verdict: A debate play between Freud and Lewis over the existence of God and the meaning of life, turned into crackling smart theater by actors Creaghan and Oden.