March 19, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Amateurish Production of “Man of God” on Stage at the Geffen Playhouse

Once in a while, you see a play that is so bad you ask yourself if you should even review it. I decided “yes” as my readers need to be encouraged to spend their theatre dollars on another play.

What’s wrong this production, you might ask? How about everything, beginning with Anna Ouyang Moench’s poorly written, sophomoric script and unimaginative, infantile direction by Maggie Burrows, who by the way, did a great job in “TRAYF” also recently presented at Geffen Playhouse’s intimate Audrey Skirball Kenis stage. Her list of impressive credits were not reflected in this production. As a director, her job is to help the actors create a fully actualized, believable performance, which she failed to do. Most of the cast, with the exception of Erin Rae Li, (Mimi) who does have theatre credits, the rest of the ensemble are primarily cinematic actors who seriously overacted in this production. Not every actor can make the leap from film to stage and Burrows’ direction shaped performances that bordered on high school or middle school level with lots of yelling with some of the actors not getting past line readings at times. As for subtext, well, just forget about that.

L-R: Albert Park as the Pastor and Shirley Chen as Samantha, as one of the girls participating in the Christian mission to Thailand.

So, what’s the story? Four young girls who are members of a Korean Christian Girls’ Youth Group are on a religious mission in Bangkok organized by their Pastor, played by Albert Park, who definitely deserves better. Mimi, discovers a hidden camera in their bathroom and realizing that it is the property of their church, concludes that the Pastor must be the one who planted it for his viewing pleasure. Angry and disappointed over this betrayal of their trust, the girls begin to devise a plan to punish him. They fantasize several different ways of killing him, one of which is a sword fight between Samantha (Shirley Chen) and the Pastor, nicely choregraphed by Fight Director Thomas Isao Morinaka and enhanced by Lap Chi Chu candy-colored lighting design. Original music and sound design by Jonathan Snipes nicely augments the action taking place on Se Oh’s simple set design reflecting a pretty cheap hotel room, with the girls dressed in Denitsa Bliznakova’s colorful, age-appropriate teenage costumes. Another fantasy scene takes place in a bar with the pastor and Mimi (Erin Rae Li) seated at a table. As she leaves, she turns around and shoots him in the back of his head. The time has come for the Pastor, who we assume is naked in the tub, to get his punishment. The girls, including Jen (Emma Galbraith) and Samantha (Kyung-Hwa) are dressed in medical uniforms, and we are to assume they have performed a radical circumcision, more than a little off the top, and have removed one kidney and are about to remove the second one.

Billed as a funny feminist play, let me assure you there is nothing funny about these proceedings nor feminist, unless you think frequently dropping the “F-Bomb” from these supposed nice Christian girls, some of whom would fit into a gang, is feminism. The only thing that is laughable is the woefully poor direction by Burrows, whose staging frequently has the girls jumping from bed to bed, sometimes shouting or alternatively swallowing their lines. Getting back to the script, I’m reminded of that old show biz axiom: “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage.” This production reflects that trope, but on steroids.

L-R: Mimi (Erin Rae Li,) Pastor (Albert Park) and Jen (Emma Galbraith) in Man of God at Geffen Playhouse.

Make no mistake. Sexual predators are a real and present danger to women of all ages and deserves to be treated seriously. That said, taking a serious subject and exploring it in a comedic manner is a familiar, interesting theatrical approach but it must begin with an excellent script and a director who can guide the production and elicit the best possible performances from his or her cast. In the case of MAN OF GOD, the attempts at comedy fell like lead balloons with only occasional snickering from the audience.

I should point out that MAN OF GOD had its World Premiere in 2019 at East West Players, the nation’s first professional Asian-American theater. In 2020, the production moved to the Geffen Playhouse but due to COVID, closed after only nine performances. In this case, Artistic Director Matt Shakman should have let sleeping dogs lie, which is derived from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “It is nought good a slepying hound to wake.”

“Man of God”
Audrey Skirball Kennis Theater
The Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Run:
Tuesday – Friday: 8:00pm
Saturday: 3:00pm & 8:00pm
Sunday: 2:00 & 7:00 p.m.
Closing: Sunday, June 19, 2022
Running Time: 90 minutes – no intermission
Tickets: $30 – $129
310.208.2028 or
www.geffenplayhouse.org

Related Posts

Film Review: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

July 19, 2023

July 19, 2023

FILM REVIEWMISSION IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONERated PG-13163 MinutesReleased July 11th The story in this “Mission: Impossible” chapter, “Dead...

Film Review: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

July 5, 2023

July 5, 2023

FILM REVIEWINDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINYRated PG-13154 MinutesReleased June 30th The director of Indiana Jones and the Dial...

Film Review: Past Lives

June 27, 2023

June 27, 2023

FILM REVIEWPAST LIVESRated PG-13105 MinutesLimited Releases June 2nd and June 9th, Full Release June 23rd The Korean concept of “In...

Film Review: Sanctuary

June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023

FILM REVIEWSANCTUARYRated R96 MinutesReleased May 19th In my humble estimation, this is one of the best movies of the year....

Film Review: The Little Mermaid

June 2, 2023

June 2, 2023

FILM REVIEWTHE LITTLE MERMAIDRated PG135 MinutesReleased May 26th With today’s technological developments, a live-action The Little Mermaid is not only...

A Riveting Revival of the Pulitzer Prize-Winning “A Soldier’s Play” Now Playing At The Ahmanson Theatre

May 31, 2023

May 31, 2023

On Stage With… Murder mysteries, whether cinematic or theatrical, are one of the most popular subjects. The list is quite...

Film Review: Chevalier

May 12, 2023

May 12, 2023

By Kathryn Boole  RATED PG-13107 MinutesReleased April 21, 2023 Chevalier is based on the true story of a historical figure...

Ballet at the Broad Stage Memorial Weekend – Meet the Talent!

May 10, 2023

May 10, 2023

Westside Ballet of Santa Monica returns to the Broad Stage with special guest artists kicking off Friday May 26th with...

Elizabeth McGovern Lights Up The Stage in “Ava – The Secret Conversations”

April 26, 2023

April 26, 2023

Play About Legendary Screen Star Runs Until May 14 At The Geffen Playhouse By Beverly Cohn Ava Gardner, born Ava...

Unconventional Art Festival “The Other Art Fair” Returns to Santa Monica This Weekend

March 31, 2023

March 31, 2023

140 independent artists, immersive installations, performances, DJs, and a fully stocked bar await visitors at Barker Hangar The Other Art...

Samohi Theatre’s “The Drowsy Chaperone” Takes the Stage in Santa Monica

March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023

Shows will take place at Barnum Hall on March 3 and 4 at 7 p.m. and March 5 at 3...

Film Review: “Marlow”

February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023

FILM REVIEW“MARLOWE”Rated R109 MinutesReleased February 15th “Marlowe” is a beautifully shot period piece that takes place in the late 1930’s....

Film Review: All Quite on the Western Front

February 22, 2023

February 22, 2023

I have never been a soldier at war, although I have close friends and relatives who have been. Universally they...

SMC Emeritus Concert Band to Hold Free Concert This Weekend at the Broad Stage

February 22, 2023

February 22, 2023

Concert February 26 will feature musical selections with an outdoor theme Santa Monica College’s Emeritus Concert Band, under the baton...