Hand to God redefines the classic notion of a puppet show with a darkly comedic twist. This unique comedy with puppets keeps audiences hooked as it follows the chaos unleashed by a possessed Christian puppet who is brought to life in the basement of a Texas church. In her first directing role, Roberta Du collaborated with Co-Director Alexis Mezzarobba to adapt Robert Askins’ Broadway play, which debuted in April 2015, for the McGill Players’ Theatre. When asked about her directorial debut and the support of her co-director, Du said: “There were not many challenges when it came to directing […]. Being an actress in other Players’ productions gave me a sense of how a play is run, and working with different directors has also inspired me to develop my own directorial style. Alexis was, however, a great support in this process, and it was helpful to have someone who knows the reins a bit better co-direct the show with me.” Under Du and Mezzarobba, Hand to God skillfully combines dark humour, unfiltered human emotion, and themes of identity, loss, and family.
The play centers on a newly widowed mother named Margery (Claire Tees), her teenage son Jason (Elias Luz), and his mischievous hand puppet Tyrone (also performed by Elias Luz). Margery’s minister, Pastor Greg (Henry Kemeny), asks her to operate the puppet club in the church basement as a way to keep her busy following the death of her husband. When Jason’s hand puppet, Tyrone, suddenly takes on a personality of its own, what begins as an entertaining acting bit to impress Margery quickly escalates into chaos, becoming a reflection of Jason’s deepest insecurities, thoughts, and quite literally, the devil.
The Players’ Theatre’s rendition of Hand to God offers seamless shifts between humour and heavy themes such as grief, which burden the characters in the play. Elias Luz’s performance as Jason/Tyrone was notably stellar. He smoothly transitioned between Jason’s nervous innocence as a teenage boy and Tyrone’s obscene vulgarity as the devil, showcasing his remarkable emotional range. When asked about the decision to cast Elias Luz, a U0 student, as the lead in Hand to God, Co-Director Roberta Du explained, “We mainly make our casting decisions based on the audition as opposed to year of study, and Elias simply wowed us at his audition.” Alexis Mezzarobba, the play’s other co-director, echoed Du’s sentiment: “We didn’t really consider the fact that Elias was a first-year. He was the best fit for the role and could perform exactly how we needed Jason/Tyrone to. We were more than happy to host his first McGill acting experience.” The interaction between Luz’s characters creates a fascinating portrayal of a teenager who is internally tormented by loss, anger, and a desire to fit in.
Claire Tees’ performance as Margery was also striking, offering a layer of insight into the complex emotions of a grieving widow. Tees portrays a stressed-out mother who has a morally dubious relationship with Tim (Nia Blankson), a teenager in her puppet group. Blankson delivered comedic genius, which is most evident during Tim’s run-ins with authority, as his steadfast devotion to Margery compels him to comply with her every demand.
As Jason’s love interest, Raphaëlle Béhar’s portrayal of Jessica offers a calming presence throughout the mayhem, reflecting the audience’s shock and confusion as the events of the play transpire. By using Jolene, her own hand puppet, to divert Tyrone’s attention, Jessica enables Jason to talk about his feelings of insecurity and anger following the death of his father. Through Béhar’s performance, the audience is shown a different side of Jason that demonstrates his complex range of emotions and internal growth.
Through its balance of dark humour and insightful commentary on grief and the role of family in shaping identity, Hand to God is a must-see theatrical performance. The Players’ Theatre provides a fantastic production, driven by Elias Luz’s standout performance as Jason and Tyrone, with an equally strong supporting cast. This production is a remarkable achievement, particularly for Roberta Du in her directorial debut. When asked about upcoming shows, Danica Friss Wilson, the Players’ Theatre Production Manager, said, “[…] Our winter production is called Do You Feel Anger by Mara Nelson-Greenberg, directed by Emma Qian, which will be performed from February 18-21.” She added, “Auditions for the McGill Drama Festival open this month and will be held in January. More information about all of this can be found on our Instagram @playerstheatremcgill and on our website.”
