Hand to God
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Cititour.com Review
Remember how biting “Lamb Chop” could be? Remember how nasty we thought “Triumph the Insult Comic Dog” was? Remember, when we were aghast at the goings-on at “Avenue Q” or thought “The Book of Mormon” was possibly blasphemous? Well, Robert Askins’ completely outrageous and outrageously funny new play “Hand to God,” now at the Booth Theatre (after two previous Off-Broadway runs), proves two things: that sock puppets can be downright demonic and Broadway is readier than ever to offend just about anyone. Ladies and gentleman, welcome to progress.
The puppet in question is named Tyrone and he’s attached to the hand of shy, confused Jason (the absolutely magnificent Steven Boyer, whose puppetry skills and voicing of Tyrone are worth a Tony Award in and of themselves). He’s a Southern teen who has recently lost his father to a heart attack, is having trouble dealing with the mood swings of his seemingly sweet but somewhat unhinged mother Margery (the fabulous Geneva Carr), and can’t fully express his feelings for his surprisingly wise classmate Jessica (a pricelessly dry Sarah Stiles).
Tyrone, however, does and says whatever he wants -- most of it obscene, much of it anti-religious (at least, in the conventional sense), and all of it completely truthful. Does that mean voicing out loud that Margery has unwisely chosen to have sex with hunky if dimwitted student Timothy (a perfectly cast Michael Oberholtzer) and then taking “revenge” on Timothy. Sure! Does that mean engaging in XXX-rated puppet sex? Of course! Does that mean desecrating a Hello Kitty puppet? You got it! Indeed, Tyrone isn’t scared of anything, not even a possible “exorcism” by kindly Pastor Greg (a beautifully understated Marc Kudisch), who is in love with Margery and sincerely wants to help Jason.
For all its copious, jaw-dropping laughs, Askins’ script, which has been handled expertly by director Moritz von Stuelpnagel, is also full of heart. That’s especially true as we watch Margery struggle with her sudden widowhood. Carr’s scenes with Kudisch, as Greg lamely tries to persuade Margery to date him, are both funny and touching, and the interplay between Margery and Jason, even at its most horrific, will ring true-to-life to anyone who’s been a single parent or child of one.
Meanwhile, Tyrone’s (or shall we say Jason’s) excuse for any or all of his actions are neatly explained in the show’s prologue, while the show’s epilogue imparts a slightly more serious bit of quasi-religious food for thought, adding another level of depth to the proceedings.
New voices of such wit and wisdom are rare in the theater these days. So let’s give a great big hand to Robert Askins and make sure you see “Hand to God.” If anyone you know objects to your presence there, just say the devil made you do it!
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://handtogodbroadway.com
Cast
Steven Boyer, Geneva Carr, Marc Kudisch, Michael Oberholtzer, Sarah Stiles
Open/Close Dates
Opening 4/7/2015
Closing 1/3/2016
Preview Open/ Preview Close Dates
Preview Opening 3/14/2015
Closing Open-ended
Box Office
212-239-6200
Theatre Info
Booth Theatre
222 West 45th Street
New York, NY 10036
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