by JESSICA SAnTInA
Idle hands
For Jason (Jessey Richards), Timothy (Robert Zellers) and Jessica (Jesse Briggs), things get a little intense in the church group. PHOTO/ERIC MARKS
is spouting Jason’s deepest, darkest thoughts, leading Pastor Greg (Jesse James Ziegler) and the others to believe Tyrone might actually be the devil himself. I knew I was going to like Hand to God Meanwhile, his mother starts expressing when Goodluck Macbeth’s managing her own grief in different but no less director Christopher Daniels told me Robert disturbing ways. Askins’ play was “like Avenue Q meets The acting is across the board Satan.” I knew I had to see it. What I didn’t outstanding. Though Richards’ mouth expect was that it might actually be the best never stops moving as Tyrone speaks, show I’ve seen … like, ever. there’s no doubt the sock puppet is the Taking a cue from a real-life trend living, breathing central character, a truly among Bible Belt churches, Askins’ play unsettling embodiment of evil who is tells of a fundamentalist Christian church completely separate from Jason. Under in Texas where a puppet the tutelage of Reno club has formed as a way puppet artist Bernie of teaching Bible lessons Beauchamp, Richards to teenagers. Its leader has become a masterful is the widow Margery puppeteer, and his skill (played by Rachel totally blew me away. Lopez), who needs the Goodluck Macbeth, 713 S. Virginia St., presents As Margery, Rachel part-time gig now that Hand to God at 7:30 p.m. March 24, 25, 31 and Lopez owns the stage, April 1, 6, 7 and 8 and at 2 p.m. March 26 and she’s financially strapped and her remarkable April 2. Tickets are $18 at the door or $15 in and raising her son Jason acting skills are cast into advance at www.goodluckmacbeth.org. (Jessey Richards) all sharp relief here. She’ll alone. Margery insists frighten you and break that shy and soft-spoken Jason participate your heart, yet she is also soft and pitiful in the club, which has only two other and even funny. And though Briggs is a members: Timothy (Robert Zellers), an young actor, she may have already reached angry, sullen, foul-mouthed teenager who’s her career zenith as the puppeteer for stuck there while his mother attends AA Jolene, a naughty female puppet who gives meetings, and Jessica (Jesse Briggs), who’s Tyrone a run for his money. I promise there because it’s the closest she can get you’ll never forget her. to Balinese shadow puppetry, and whom Following the media preview show I Jason clearly has a crush on. attended—a performance that ended with In the church basement cheesily a standing ovation, I might add—I overdecorated with “Jesus loves me” posters heard director Amanda Alvey comment and cheery biblical quotes, the club meets that the show “makes you feel all the to prepare for an upcoming performance, feels,” and I really couldn’t put it better but only Jason has actually produced a myself. It’s not just that the play is funny, puppet—a gray sock puppet innocuously which it absolutely is. But even as it deals named Tyrone. with the most sobering of subjects—reliThough Jason seems a sad, put-upon, gion, death and mental illness—it’s also childish teen who’s still reeling from his deeply disturbing, terribly sad, probingly father’s death, with Tyrone on his left insightful and, yet, also somehow lighthand, he somehow finds the courage to hearted and uplifting. I can’t emphasize express himself. He begins with comedy this enough: Don’t miss it. Ω routines and dirty jokes, but soon Tyrone
Hand to God
12345
16
|
RN&R
|
03.23.17
