God Almighty has chosen Sam Ginn as Her voice with which to speak. It turns out that She is sarcastic, witty and a bit catty at times. But Sam is there to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help her…God.
Roustabouts Theatre Company’s current production of “An Act of God,” written by David Javerbaum, strives to set the story straight about the Bible and all that has been misinterpreted over the millennia. For example, God actually created Adam and Steve in the Garden of Eden, but pesky humans have taken the story and twisted it into their own version, which God never intended. Poor Steve was left in the dust, and God has been trying to impart Her love of LGBTQ+ people ever since.
The cast consists of Ginn as God, Devyn Wade as Archangel Michael and AJ Knox as Archangel Gabriel, with Natalie Householder in the wings as the show’s understudy. All three primary members are hilarious in their delivery and have the pacing down to a science thanks to Phil Johnson’s directing.
Ginn delivers a powerhouse performance, filling the entire 95 minutes with standup and anecdotes about God’s creation of the earth and building of a new set of 10 Commandments for humans to follow. Wade and Knox both add some great comedic timing as the two Archangels, sometimes questioning God’s choices and giving Her a chance to really contemplate what She has built.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Christian Bible or grew up in a secular household, some of the jokes might go over your head. But the humor is delivered so well that it’s still a delight to follow along with. The 2015 play has some outdated jokes that sometimes fall flat ā at times a little cringey ā but the majority of the script is defined by a timeless story that’s been around for quite a while. This one just has a bit more wit.
Scenic and Lighting Designer David Kievit has God’s own House of Worship as a lounge, a place to just hang out and listen to Her tell stories in Her own way. Dawn Fuller-Korinek’s costume design puts God in a luminous white pantsuit while the Archangels come with short skirts and little sets of wings. Perfect.
God and Her two Archangels deliver a performance that will delight, surprise and sometimes downright scare you. But the show’s message is beyond wholesome and full of laughs.
“An Act of God” is produced by Roustabouts and plays at the Scripps Ranch Theatre until March 29.
(Photo credit: Michael Pearce)
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