The up-close and personal production of ‘Hand to God’ revels in irreverence and is anchored by an award-worthy performance
The Springs Ensemble Theatre’s production of Hand to God is one for the books – just maybe not the holy books. Hand to God is a provocative, dark comedy about God, the church’s culture of conformity, and one boy’s response in the face of tragedy.
Robert Askins’ play was produced twice Off-Broadway before opening on Broadway in 2015 The original Broadway production ran for 337 performances and was nominated for five Tony Awards. Askins stated in an interview with Playbill in 2015 that “I did not grow up seeing plays. I grew up watching movies and going to church. That’s what there was in Cypress, Texas.” As a result, this play has a drastically different sensibility than your conventional Broadway play.
After the death of his father, Jason (Sean Verdu) finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry – a popular evangelization tactic that uses puppets to teach children about God – run by his grieving mother, Margery (Amber Carlton), in the devoutly religious small town of Cypress. Pastor Greg (Adam Stepan) hoped the puppet ministry would help Margery move on from her dead husband, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. The puppet club’s other teenage members are Jessica (Kit Silva), the girl next door whom Jason is crushing on, and Timothy (Jacob Hacker), the school bully who is crushing on Jason’s mom. Pastor Greg proposes they perform at the church next Sunday, but this is complicated by the characters’ sexual escapades. Oh, and then there’s Tyrone, Jason’s hand puppet, who takes control of Jason and announces that he is Satan.
This doesn’t go over well in Texas, and puppet chaos ensues.
Splendid space
Ellie Hinkle’s set puts you back in Sunday school. There was the classic youth group couch, beanbag chair, paper children holding hands, and so much Christian signage. My favorite detail was the heart on the wall made of colorful children’s hands with a well-chosen bible verse in the center that reads: “Whoever is without LOVE does not know GOD for GOD IS LOVE.” The set transitions from playful yellow paint in the classroom to harsh black paint in the pastor’s office. This scenic choice emphasizes the clear division and duality that exists within the church.
There isn’t a bad seat in SET’s three-sided theatre; Gavin White, the show’s director and fight coordinator, makes effective use of the entire black box. Hinkle’s set was utilized – and subsequently destroyed – skillfully, the fights were incredibly tense, and the puppet spectacle was stirring. Blaze Espiritu’s lighting design unfortunately has quite a few dark spots and frequently leaves actors in the dark. But there were some really interesting shadows on the back wall in the puppet-heavy scenes, with two very funny moments using flashing red lights during Tyrone’s Satanic moments.
The scene transitions were accomplished with a pink wash and well-chosen, upbeat Jesus music. These musical cues are just some of the spot-on sound design work by Bryse Taylor Boynton. This upbeat music stands in sharp contrast to the incredibly dark and serious moments that the scenes end on, like Jason being left on the side of the road by his mom or a child’s ear being ripped off.
Not for the faint of heart
Now is probably a good time to acknowledge the more risqué elements within the production. The play features demonic possession, religious teacher/student sexual affairs, violence, and a puppet sex scene in which a puppet’s boobs are covered by a shirt that reads “Jesus Loves These!” So, perhaps this isn’t the play to take the whole family to. Or, before you do, maybe consider checking out this sign posted outside the theatre.
All (mostly) true: The content warning sign outside the Springs Ensemble Theatre’s production of ‘Hand to God’ | Photo by Toni Tresca
When I first saw the sign, I thought for sure this had to be a parody, but the warning is apt. Actors rip apart a bible. The teacher and student have intercourse in the pastor’s office. And there’s simulated puppet sex featuring multiple positions and a tiny, golden puppet strap-on (the props throughout, designed by Cassidy Forest, are all incredible!) The scandalous behavior is all in service of a great story and is supported by a star-making performance by Sean Verdu and his castmates.
Award-worthy acting
Verdu creates two voices — for Jason and Tyrone — that are specific, clear, and dynamic. The puppet work is remarkable. Puppet master Katy Williams’ designs are exceptional, and Verdu expertly maneuvers not only the mouth but two black sticks that control the puppet’s arms. He has the ability to make Tyrone grab, stroke and choke; it’s all very amusing, but also deeply disturbing and creepy in all the right ways.
In Jason’s bedroom, Verdu channels both Seymour and Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors as he captivatingly portrays Tyrone taking control of Jason and establishing his domination over the boy. Verdu’s work is aided by the exceptional puppet design by puppet master Katy Williams. The scene in which he removes Tyrone, on the other hand, is marred by repetitive blocking. Luckily, Verdu ends the play on a strong note with a fiery monologue by Tyrone explaining the link between saviors and devils. I hope Henry Award judges remember Verdu’s performance when submitting their ballots.
Beware: Nude puppets!
Stepan’s Pastor Greg has a similar demeanor to Ned Flanders, and it works. His long, wiry frame and puppy-dog eyes almost make you forget that this sad sack uses the church to get laid. Silva’s performance as Jessica is one-dimensional and relies on the strong performance by Verdu to drive their scenes.
Carlton delivers an emotional performance as Margery. Carlton has a Lady Bird-esque moment in the car with her son that’s played to perfection. She utterly falls apart at the mention of her late husband, and the way Carlton takes her emotions out on Jason is harrowing. Her disgusting fling with her student, Timothy, whose douche-y disposition is hilariously embodied by Hacker, is horrifyingly horny and graphically staged. This is a challenging role, but Carlton makes the character sympathetic even in her more despicable moments.
Though the second act is more unfocused than the first and the actors occasionally get a little screamy, the play was executed with great energy and makes for a night out you may never be able to unsee. Hand of God features a tour de force performance by Verdu and is not to be missed at SET, where it runs through Oct 16.
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