Play Review: “Hand to God”

Plays as irreverent, profane, and wacky as Hand to God rarely make it to the big Broadway houses. So I raise a hallelujah to the theatre gods for giving us this outstanding play at the Booth Theatre. It's one of the best shows this season.

Robert Askins has written an insanely funny dark comedy that you will want to attend over and over again. The play centers on Jason (Steven Boyer), a troubled young boy who is perfecting the art of hand-puppetry at his church's puppet class. The class is led by his recently widowed mother Margery (Geneva Carr), determined to do something worthwhile and find meaning after her husband's death. All hell (literally) breaks loose when we discover Jason's hand puppet “Tyrone” has a mind of his own, and is quite possibly possessed by the Devil himself.

If you were a fan of the Off-Broadway run concerned for the transfer into a larger house: have no fear. As directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, the production expertly balances outrageous humor and touching humanity. Beowulf Boritt has also provided an impressive set full of folding parts and loads of surprises.

It is Steven Boyer in the dual roles of Jason/Tyronne who deserves the lion's share of praise. Jason is an impossibly awkward young man with zero confidence to speak of. But as Tyronne takes over the boy's arm, Boyer transforms his voice into an acidic, fiendish creature full of violent and lewd energy. The voice and mannerisms of Tyronne are so specific it's often easy to forget the puppet is controlled by the actor. Watching the many scenes Stephen Boyer perform two character scenes by himself is mesmerizing. Though composed of a sock and some felt, Tyronne is absolutely the star of the show. It's nearly impossible to describe the strange joy one feels watching Tyronne torment his small town victims.

The cast is filled out by a wonderfully troupe of actors who match the zany energy of the devil puppet. Marc Kudisch portrays the church pastor who attempts (and fails) to disguise his sexual advances towards Jason's mother as purely Christian intentions. Timothy (Michael Oberholtzer) is also inappropriately infatuated with Margery. Oberholtzer perfectly delivers teen angst and sexual frustration with a wildly physical performance. Sarah Stiles plays Jessica, the object of Jason's pure affections and Tyronne's sexual charged catcalls. Stiles is hilarious in her deadpan delivery, and collaborates with Boyer for the most outrageous puppet sex scene the world may ever know. Seriously, you won't believe how many sex positions these puppets get into. Apologies to Avenue Q and Team America, this play has you beat.

You can, and should, enjoy the play as a filthy hilarious escape. But while its odd to look for deeper meaning when puppet exorcism is a major plot point, there is more than shock and awe to the script. Tyronne in many ways represents the unfiltered Id, saying what Jason would say if no repercussions were involved. All of these characters are suffering from repressed urges and emotions.  Mr. Askins dares to ask the audience if there is any benefit to acting on our innermost desires.

My one wish for the script is a stronger establishing moment between mother and son at the beginning of the play. Much of act two hinges upon Jason and Margery learning to forge ahead together and listen to each others needs instead of keeping them bottled up. But since the first act is so centered on establishing the play's outrageous humor, the relationship is not immediately solidified and the eventual payoff isn't as sweet or nuanced as it could be. This is not to speak ill of Geneva Carr, who commands the stage as Margery whenever she is present. A kind-hearted but lost woman, she can fly into a rage or a sexual fit at a moments notice. An angry sex scene of hers somehow rivals the puppet sex scene in outrageous hilarity.

I honestly have not laughed this hard at a Broadway show in years. Whether it was from a sock puppet's sermon on the origin of sin, or watching said puppet wrestle his owner while still on his arm, I couldn't even attempt to suppress my cackling. The audience around me was certainly in agreement. This play is something special and to miss it would be a sin.

Hand to God
Booth Theatre
222 West 45th Street, Manhattan
Written by: Robert Askins
Directed by: Moritz von Stuelpnagel
Starring: Stephen Boyer, Geneva Carr, Michael Oberholtzer, Sarah Stiles, and Marc Kudisch
Run Time: 2 hours, one intermission