By Joe Szek
Robert Askin’s ‘Hand to God’ might come dangerously close to brash irreverence for fundamentalist or deeply devoted/devout Christians. For this practicing Catholic who still holds the tenements of the faith close to his heart, I wasn’t offended whatsoever at the very dark elements of black comedy hidden within the tightly wound script.
If anything, this wickedly sinful yet so much corrupt fun of Coal Mine’s production allowed me to have a good laugh for the very reason I’m allowed to laugh in live theatre. Why? ‘Hand to God’ allowed me to venture to the very edge of what might considered to be appropriate versus inappropriate human nature without ever feeling uncomfortable. The use of puppetry allowed me to make believe and to buy into any kind of outrageous ‘what if’ situations which come along in the plot.