{"id":252367,"date":"2017-11-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/the-puppet-from-hell\/"},"modified":"2017-11-03T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-03T07:00:00","slug":"the-puppet-from-hell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/the-puppet-from-hell\/","title":{"rendered":"La marioneta del infierno"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Jean Lowerison |\u00a0Theater Review<\/p>\n

Times change. When I was a kid, the word \u201cpuppet\u201d meant \u201cThe Howdy Doody Show.\u201d Later it was \u201cSesame Street.\u201d Then came \u201cAvenue Q,\u201d and puppets got sexy and vulgar and a little weird.<\/p>\n

Now we have Robert Askins\u2019 off-the-charts \u201cHand to God,\u201d which posits a demonic puppet in the hands of Jason (Caleb Foote), son of the recently widowed Margery (DeAnna Driscoll). Margery, barely functional herself, is trying to run a puppetry class for church teens in the local Lutheran church basement in Cypress, Texas. She\u2019s particularly stressed right now, because Pastor Greg (Jason Heil) has just told her she and her \u201cChristketeers\u201d are scheduled to present a show at the church next week. And he\u2019s trying to make moves on her.<\/p>\n

\"The
Caleb Foote as Jason with his puppet in \u201cHand to God\u201d (Foto por Daren Scott)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also in the class are typical teens Timothy (Garrett Marshall), horny and none too bright (but he knows how to get the chicks), and Jessica (Christina Flynn), a little snooty and spacey but sweet.<\/p>\n

But when Jason\u2019s puppet Tyrone unexpectedly takes over (demonic possession?) \u2014 spouting consistently foul language, doing and saying things nobody should do or say (at least not in public) and making the point that we all have subterranean desires we usually choose not to mention in polite conversation \u2014 all hell breaks loose.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an amusing idea … for a while. But my attention started to wander when it went from gross to disgusting, with violence that will remind you of Vincent van Gogh and worse things. I couldn\u2019t wait for the end.<\/p>\n

\"The
DeAnna Driscoll as Margery and Jason Heil as Pastor Greg (Foto por Daren Scott)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHand to God\u201d has a real history: Askins was born in Cypress, Texas, into a Protestant family, and his mother did lead a puppet ministry at the church. His father also died when Askins was a teenager.<\/p>\n

The production can\u2019t be faulted. Set designer Robin Roberts\u2019 rotating set moves nicely from the church basement (looking a bit like a primary school classroom with its cheery \u201cJesus loves you\u201d posters) to the pastor\u2019s office to a playground.<\/p>\n

The actors can\u2019t be faulted either. Marshall and Flynn are convincingly familiar as the teens in the class; Driscoll is amusingly distracted as the harried (and hit-on) teacher; and Heil plays the standard hypocritical pastor well.<\/p>\n

But this show belongs to Foote, who has the head-spinning job of portraying both the shy, diffident Jason and the harsh, antagonistic and extremely profane Tyrone at the same time. I\u2019m tempted to say it\u2019s worth seeing the show just for this astonishing performance.<\/p>\n

\"TheLet\u2019s face it, there are points to be made about the hypocrisy of adults (who often try to blame someone else for their less-than-upright actions) and religion, where one standard copout is \u201cthe devil made me do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m always up for a discussion of ethics, morality, honesty and the like. But when you give that to me in a lengthy, profanity-laden diatribe including voluminous F-words, scatological references and puppet fellatio, I\u2019m more likely to tune out than wade through the garbage in search of hidden gems. Your mileage may vary.<\/p>\n

\u201cHand to God\u201d is one of the most frequently performed shows of the year.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jean Lowerison es miembro desde hace mucho tiempo del C\u00edrculo de Cr\u00edticos de Teatro de San Diego y puede ser contactada en infodame@cox.net<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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