‘Hand to God’: Angelic Teens & Their Demons

LIKE ‘AVENUE Q’ ON STEROIDS (left to right) Geneva Carr, Sarah Stiles, Mark Kudisch, Steven Boyer & Michael Oberholtzer. Photo: Joan Marcus

HAND TO GOD
By Robert Askins
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
Booth Theatre
222 West 45th Street
(212) 239-6200
http://handtogodbroadway.com

By Scott Harrah

This is that rare show that changes and challenges the foundations of traditional theater, the way Samuel Beckett did in the 1950s with Waiting for Godot and Edward Albee did in the 1960s with Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Equal parts dark comedy, absurdist drama and horror/gore show, Hand to God is both funny and frightening, has the irreverence of The Book of Mormon, and the gross-out ick factor of every John Waters film, but playwright Robert Askins’ tale is highly original as well. At times scathingly hilarious but ultimately disturbing, this tragicomic masterpiece takes digs at everything from Christianity and teenage angst to taboo sex. It is unlike anything you’ve ever seen on the New York stage in years.

Hand to God has transferred to Broadway after two successful downtown productions. Although lead actor Steven Boyer isn’t yet a big name in theater, he will be soon for his tour de force portrayal of Jason, a troubled teenager who brings out his inner demons through Tyrone, the hand puppet he plays with at a Texas church in a Christian puppet class run by his mother, Margery (the outstanding Geneva Carr).

Margery is still grieving the loss of her husband just six months earlier as she attempts to rehearse for an upcoming church puppet performance with Jason, smart-mouthed bully Timothy (Michael Oberholtzer) and quick-witted Jessica (Sarah Stiles).

Meanwhile, Pastor Greg (Marc Kudisch) has romantic feelings for Margery, but she’s too grief-stricken from her husband’s death to even feign interest in the guy. Margery is also indulging in some stomach-churning, inappropriate behavior with hormone-addled Timothy (don’t ask). To make things worse, Jason’s going overboard playing with his puppet Tyrone, shouting out so many potty-mouthed witticisms and acting out violence and perverse sex acts that it seems Tyrone has literally possessed the poor kid.

Hand to God questions many of the foundations of mainstream Christianity and morality as the characters take us on a nonstop ride of four-letter words, jabs at the Bible and social mores as we see puppets and humans in various acts of sex and violence. Although act one is full of belly laughs, by act two the show builds to an uncomfortable climax that makes us realize Hand to God is more of a modern-day Greek tragedy than an edgier, filthier Avenue Q. Like many Greek heroes and heroines in Euripides and Sophocles’ classics, Jason and mom Margery commit despicable crimes of passion and must face the consequences.

Director Moritz von Stuelpnagel keeps the exceptional cast moving at a steady pace, in a show that is so full of energy, fake spewing blood and searing physicality that it has to be exhausting for the actors. However, as first-rate as Robert Askins’ play is, the raison d’être of the show is also Steven Boyer’s mind-blowing portrayal of Jason and Tyrone, in what is certainly the must-see performance of the spring season, making him a frontrunner for the Tony Award.

JASON & TYRONE: Steven Boyer in ‘Hand to God.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

JASON & HIS CRUSH, JESSICA: Steven Boyer & Sarah Stiles. Photo: Joan Marcus

MARGERY & PASTOR GREG: Geneva Karr & Mark Kudisch. Photo: Joan Marcus

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 10, 2015
Reviewed at press performance on April 9, 2015