Review: AN ACT OF GOD is a Hilarious Offering to Partake Of

Brethren, I sit before thee as an enlightened man. Behold, I have sat in an audience before God almighty. Nay, he came not before me as a burning bush or as an old man in the sky. God hast come to Birmingham vis-à-vis the hilarious Nick Crawford in the comedy An Act of God, now playing at Terrific New Theatre. Written by Emmy Award Winner and Daily Show alum David Javerbaum and directed with comedic precision by Tam DeBolt. Crawford plays God who shares the stage with his two Archangels or as he calls them "wingmen", Mike Cunliffe as Michael and Kevin Van Hyning as Gabriel. These three actors have seasoned comedy chops that are fully display in the show.

The play centers on God sharing his candid opinions on how his work has been misinterpreted over the millennia. He riffs between religious passages and current events. God's humorous venting is full of irreverent wit and charm. Nick Crawford channels the almighty with a comic performance that mirrors the greats like Bob Hope, Groucho Marx and Mel Brooks. An Act of God delivers smart, irreverent and clever comedy. Be aware this is not a religious play. Javerbaum' script is smart comedy with brilliant satire. One example is when discussing the first sentence of the Bible "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." God responds, "That took about five hours. It would have taken less, but there was darkness over the face of everything, so I was working mainly by feel."

Crawford carries the audience for a solid 90 minutes (no intermission) without a lag or dip in his energy. The man has been blessed with divine stage presence and stamina. All three of these charismatic actors bring natural comedic timing and balance. Cunliffe gives Michael a funny childlike inquisitiveness of man's questions. Van Hyning as Gabriel delivers a classic comedy straight man performance that Bud Abbot would be proud of. All of the actors are skilled improvists who are flawless in executing great comedy.

I thoroughly enjoyed An Act of God. It has a wonderful pace and irreverent material that keeps you laughing. This is a fun performance that at times feels like a venting session between God and his therapist. Partake of the offering of this show before God returns to the beyond or to Tuscaloosa, which ever comes first.

An Act of God is playing at Terrific New Theater. 2nd Ave. S at Pepper Place Birmingham, AL. It runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays April 27 to May 20 (2:30 Sunday Matinee on May 7)

Tickets and more info at www.terrificnewtheatre.com or at (205) 328-0868