Hand To God

by Robert Askins (Coal Mine Theatre). A Texas widow running a church puppet club must deal with a satanic sock puppet in this blasphemous black comedy. Previews from Apr 21, opens Apr 24 and runs to May 12, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm. $42.50, previews/rush $25.

MINI REVIEW

Askins’s darkly funny play about a boy whose demonic hand puppet starts ruling his life is a satire about religious hypocrisy, a clear-eyed look at good and evil, a gentle teen love story and a raucous, raunchy examination of what happens when we suppress our natural urges. Director Mitchell Cushman has a firm hand on all the play’s elements, and the cast make their characters – both flesh and blood and felt – believable and involving. Devilish good fun.

NNNN (Glenn Sumi)