Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Is It Possible PERMISSION is by Same Playwright as HAND to GOD?

Robert Askins is the brilliant playwright of Hand to GOD which garnered 5 Tony nominations, including best play.  PERMISSION is Askin's play at the Lucille Lortrel Theater is a contender for worst play. Similar themes of religious irreverence & sexual awakenings are found in both of these 2 act, 5 character plays. And, Religion is lampooned by condoning behavior in the name of Jesus in both. However, HAND to GOD is mercifully an engrossing intelligent play while PERMISSION is merely  gross & ridiculous.  PERMISSION revolves around 2 married couples.  The husbands have been longtime friends. The marital tension is palpable over dinner with both couples:  Michelle & Zach and Eric & Cynthia.  A sidebar meeting in the kitchen between Michelle & Zach is burst into by Eric & Cynthia where they're shocked to discover Cynthia being spanked by Zach.  Eric & Cynthia make a hasty exit ending an engaging, short 1st act.  The second act was an abominable eternity.  Zach explains to Eric that he & Michelle adhere to (CDD) Christian Discipline Domestic.  Zach informs Eric he must be (HOH) Head of Household and the wife subservient; subjecting her to corporal punishment.  Eric & Zach's marriage & lives are in turmoil.  They adopt CDD along with spankings (OTC) Over the Knne, which oddly enough seems to be working for them.  The play degenerates into an absurdist orgy that most of the audience funny found hilarious. I thought it Horrible, Offensive and Hardly worth the time.  I grant PERMISSION to pass on this Completely Disagreeable Caper.  Instead, I command you to see HAND to GOD which by some miracle, is by the same playwright.

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