Counter Culture

Go to Hell, Jesus
The Space at Surgeons Hall
15-18 August, 2016
2005-2055
£5 (£3)

Owing to some sort of bureacratic heavenly cock-up, Jesus Christ ends up in Hell after the Rapture and the Second Coming. Oops…

In this comedy play, Hell is a bit of a bureacratic nightmare. Jesus is accompanied by the demon Beelzebub in order to get through to Satan’s office to sort the bungle out and return him to the heavenly realms. Jesus is stalked through the infernal regions by an old enemy – Judas Iscariot – who is seriously annoyed that his good name has become a byword for treachery and betrayal for two thousand years. In the meantime Satan, (or Karen to her friends), discovers a few facts too.

This play is not all that daring. It’s mildly amusing but it won’t set the streets on fire. Some of the jokes are lamer than the paralytic man Jesus healed. Militant Christians are not likely to be so offended that they will burn down the theatre or burn the author at the stake. Some might even say, What’s new? According to the Apostle’s Creed, Jesus did descend to hell for three days between his death and his resurrection. Most will ignore it; if they even know it exists.

Nevertheless, despite the imperfections, there were some fine performances from the actors, especially the young women who played Judas and Satan.

Reviewed by David Kerr

Three Stars ***