STAGE WEST: Roustabouts Theatre Co.'s "An Act of God"

Left to right: AJ Knox, Samantha Ginn and Devyn Wade in "An Act of God."     Photo by Michael Pearce

            Roustabouts Theatre Co.’s “An Act of God” is scripted (playwright: David Javerbaum), but it comes off as Samantha Ginn, as the Woman Upstairs, doing standup for an hour and a half.
            Say “Amen” somebody!
            Ginn’s been among the most, if not THE most, gifted physical comedian in town, so she’s perfect in the immaculate white of a God who riffs, rants, dives and dances onstage beneath a bright illuminated sign reading “God’s, Open 24 Hours.” She’s so quick on the draw, reactive and spontaneously observational that it could be Robin Williams with blond hair up there.
            Javerbaum conceived “An Act of God” out of what began as a series of Twitter posts and a book -- “The Last Testament: A Memoir By God.” It premiered on Broadway in 2015 with Jim (“The Big Bang Theory,” ironically) Parsons in the title role. Since then actors male and female have played the Almighty, who is portrayed in “An Act of God” as the Old Testament version: omnipotent, and smiting left and right.
            The idea presented from the very beginning of the play (its Genesis if you will) is that God’s grown weary of and disillusioned with the original Ten Commandments that were passed down to Moses and has decided to decree Ten New Ones. (The old tablets are tossed somewhere backstage, followed by the complaining screech of a feline.)
            Assisting God in announcing these new laws are two winged archangels, Gabriel (AJ Knox) and Michael (Devyn Wade). They are Her wing men for the duration of the show, “fielding questions” from the audience (pre-written into the script), helping Her act out events in biblical history and naturally serving as comic foils.
            Phil Johnson directs the organized chaos onstage, rightfully trusting that Ginn has everything under her special brand of comedic control. Even when “An Act of God” gets pretty out there, it never reels OUT of control.
            I’m no biblical scholar but I have faith that much of the historical Scripture utilized as context for the storytelling here is accurate. “An Act of God” treads this fine line between parody of and attention to the acknowledged Holy Word.
            Pop cultural references abound, from an insider nod to “The Big Bang Theory” to a sound snippet from the old pop tune “Rock the Boat” (anyone remember the Hughes Corporation?)
            As for the new Ten Commandments they’re revealed behind the actors on a “Family Feud”-like board. A couple are holdovers from the Original Ten. The disclosure of each is followed by a parable-for-laughs. (There’s one exception: the new decree to honor/love one’s child after which Ginn recounts the story of Her son Jesus, from the manger to the cross. This is done with a tenderness otherwise absent from the dispensing of the other new commandments, and it’s a beautiful departure in tone from the playwright and from Ginn.)
            Periodically during the going, Archangel Michael poses questions to God that are universal and unanswered, like why She has permitted suffering and killing and cruelty and even death. For this directness Michael is practically smited himself, but ultimately God’s reasoning is attributed to “The Mysterious.”
            If there’s any issue with “An Act of God” it’s the length of the show. I would’ve been fine with say, Six of Seven New Commandments and had it at that. I wonder if Moses got impatient the first time around.
            Sam Ginn’s been away from local theater for a while, having devoted her attention to her work as an inclusive-theater teacher and to working with the Jason Mraz Foundation. It’s a blessing to have her back.
            “An Act of God” runs through March 29 at Scripps Ranch Theatre on the campus of Alliant International University.