Theater Review: Hand to God

Steven Boyer. Photo Photo by Gerry Goodstein.

From Demon Possession to Puppet Porn, This isn't Your Typical Church Ministry (Thank God)
By Lauren Yarger
It's Avenue Q meets "The Exorcist" in Robert Askins' dark (very, very dark) comedy Hand to God playing an encore Off-Broadway run at The Ensemble Studio Theatre.

Margery (Geneva Carr) starts a puppet ministry at her church to keep herself busy after her husband's death. What she doesn't count on is that her teen son, Jason (Steven Boyer), possesses some intense puppetry skills. "Tyrone," a wide-eyed, red-haired sock puppet with teeth suddenly takes up permanent residence on Jason's arm and starts speaking for the boy. He sounds a lot like the devil. He tells Jason that his mother doesn't really love him, that trying to be good is a waste of time and that he ought to act on his lustful impulses for Jessica (Megan Hill), a virginal member of the puppet ministry.

Margery seems to hear the puppet's message, if not audibly. She throws good behavior, and the unwanted attentions of her geeky pastor, Greg (Scott Sowers), aside and begins a sado-masochistic sexual relationship with Timothy (Bobby Moreno), a troubled youth and reluctant member of the puppet ministry.

Jason's desire to do what's right is in constant battle with Tyrone's desire to set the boy free. The puppet sinks his teeth in, quite literally, to wreak havoc in the small southern church, especially when Jason discovers his mother's affair with Timothy. (Rebecca Lord-Surrat designs the Sunday school type room).

Jessica tries to help by donning her own puppet, which engages in a prolonged sexual encounter with Tyrone while the two humans chat. This scene borrows from the puppet-sex scene in Avenue Q and can only be classified as puppet porn.

Boyer skillfully creates two unique characters: shy, meek Jason and demonic Tyrone. Carr impressively delivers a wide range of emotions. Director Moritz von Stuelpnagel somehow didn't notice that everyone is yelling at the top of their lungs for no reason throughout, however.

While Askins' script is irreverent and depicts stereotypically repressed, stupid Christians, it doesn't appear to be motivated by a desire to bash Christianity so much as to try to present an alternative to it. Tyrone delivers a prologue and an epilogue to the tale, both of which have the message that we should just give in to natural, sinful desires. He suggests that making rules about what is right and wrong (which is done by man, not God, according to him) is ultimately a recipe for failure and frustration. Let yourself off the hook for everything you have ever done or needed, he tells us, and you might just see Jesus where you saw the devil before.

An anti-Christian sentiment exudes more from the audience than from the misguided show itself. Though there are some funny lines and humorous movements by the puppets, the script isn't witty enough to elicit the wild, raucous laughter generated. That comes from people who are part of a popular culture in the United States which at the moment delights in anything anti-Christian and this show is capitalizing on that. Broadway's commercially successful Book of Mormon changed what is considered decent or taboo when it comes to religion and there probably will be many more irreverent shows to come. You know what they say about the love of money . . .

Hand to God indwells Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd St., through Sunday, April 1. To order tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/134.

Christians might also like to know:
-- Strong language throughout
-- God's name used in vain
-- Sexual dialogue
-- Sexual activity (puppets and people)
-- Pentagram on the floor for the second act
-- Violence
-- Blood
-- A bible is ripped apart