Review: HAND TO GOD, Vaudeville Theatre, Feb 15 2016

Tom Cox

Robert Askins' Hand to God has been raking in the stars on Broadway, and now this controversial new play and its demonic hand puppet have swift footed over to hijack the Vaudeville Theatre, West End. There is no doubting this play is base, vulgar and utterly outrageous, but when the puppetry makes Avenue Q look like a nice show to take your grandma, then we're happy to switch gear for some laugh-out-loud silliness.

The plot is thin, but progresses quickly enough not to care, throwing us straight into the heat of the hand action, so to speak. Newly widowed Margery takes up a position at the local church, teaching local kids to use hand puppetry as way to manage behaviour. The class includes her son Jason, whose reserved nature makes him the perfect target for demonic puppet Tyrone to 'possess'. Before you know it, Tyrone is forcing Jason to kill teddy bears and pull people's ears off with no shortage of shocking moments...no more so than the instant Margery snaps and initiates wild violent sex with her teenage pupil; a scene that could have felt clichéd, but was in safe hands with the esteemed talents of Janie Dee, who dances circles round the stereotypes, and brings surprise and humour to every step. This show is performed excellently by the whole cast and it's their skill which makes this show more than just funny.

But funny it is! The stand out, of course, is Harry Melling, whose dual portrayal of Jason and Tyrone is nothing short of genius. Melling moves instantaneously between the two personas, often having long scenes, or even fight sequences with himself, utterly captivating the audience. Most known for playing Dudley Dursley in Harry Potter, Melling has developed into a terrific actor and his handling of both the comic and the moving mark him out as something special.

At the final stages of the play, the plot is still left a little flat. But with echoes of riotous laughter ringing in our ear, we didn't really care. Like a breath of fresh air to the stuffy West End, this show is hilarious and we're sure will provide a great night out to many over the course of its stay.

Hand to God runs at the Vaudeville Theatre.

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